


Clandestine (Concealed in Shadow)

by TaraB1915



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: ARGUS/Counter Terrorism, F/M, Harsh and Gritty, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Torture, Inspired by Spooks | MI5 (TV), It's Dark - Nothing Fluffy here. Okay maybe there might be a little fluff..., Life is dynamic, Major canon divergence, Plus a touch of levity to punctuate the darkness..., Raw and Raunchy/'Fifty Shades' Overtones, never a dull moment to very end., violence and death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:07:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 36
Words: 117,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24334102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaraB1915/pseuds/TaraB1915
Summary: After the Island Oliver Queen never returned to his family or the life he once knew. Instead he became an effective part of his country's human shield, hidden, operating in the shadows. Everything he touches is clandestine, including Felicity Smoak. He does transactional relationships. She'll make him want more.
Relationships: John Diggle/Lyla Michaels, Oliver Queen & Felicity Smoak, Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak
Comments: 547
Kudos: 373





	1. Once A Queen

**Author's Note:**

> Please note EXPLICIT tag. There's no fluff. It's raw and gritty. Violence and death are constants. And it's raunchy - fifty shades of Queen. Or maybe it's just Smoaking.
> 
> It's all about concealment. The reveal is piecemeal.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was a Queen once. Now he is Jensen and unrecognisable, even to himself. Finally, after a 9-month stint in a Russian hellhole, he is on his first overseas kill mission. He knows Waller is testing him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Muse is excited about this fic. As soon as lockdown began to loosen I found myself letting go all the pent up-ness of it all and spontaneously scribbling down/tapping out bits of dialogue/narrative everywhere at any and weird times. Always a good sign. Hope you enjoy.

  
**"C l a n d e s t i n e "**

**P R O L O G U E**

**Lost & Presumed Dead**

When Amanda Waller and her team found him on the Island of Lian Yu, Oliver was out of his mind. Pain cloaked his body; darkness shrouded his mind.

Six years later, pain and darkness endured including the 9-month stint in Metak prison, located in the middle of a remote frozen lake, where the temperature rarely rose above freezing. Metak was one of Russia’s coldest, most corrupt and notoriously brutal prisons. He'd been betrayed. 

It was an experience that could have broken Oliver.

It didn’t.

He simply became even more unreachable than he was before. In place of a heart was a void. He trusted no one, except perhaps John Diggle. The only person who stood any chance of reaching him emotionally was his sister Thea, but she believed him to be dead. 

Lian Yu, Metak prison and A.R.G.U.S combined, had turned Oliver Queen into a human killing machine, programmed to obliterate all and any threat, real or perceived. He was now part of his country’s human shield and it suited him.

Any grandiose ideas he once harboured to return to Starling City to right his father’s wrongs had long faded into the ether. The notorious notebook was locked away in his wooden trunk, holder of secrets. Even Laurel, her image and his memories of her, which probably kept him alive during that initial period on the Island, had ceased to captivate him. In any event she was now married to his best friend. 

The path that led Oliver Queen to the person he had become was likely to be the same one that might lead him to self-destruct. 

Unless there was an intervening rhythm.

He knew that. But he had nothing to live for. It was this mindset that made him an effective killer.

His very soul had been annihilated by the things he'd seen and done. The things done to him. 

It began with the bird.

His first kill, brought to him by Yau Fei. He felt the creature's beating heart fluttering beneath his hand, it's white feathers soft and downy to the touch. He closed his eyes and wrung it's neck.

His first kill.

It had to be done. It was about survival.

He'd done unspeakable things in his life without the slightest hesitation. He'd snapped necks, broke backs using his own limbs. He'd bludgeoned a man to death with a rock and practically skinned another alive. All those things and more had left him soulless.

Emotionally, he could neither give nor receive.

So much pain and darkness endured, and continue to be endured. The man who after five years had forsaken the identity he was born with, now three years later, belonged body and soullessly to Amanda Waller and the Advanced Research Group United Support.

Oliver's face morphed into a macabre rictus at the seemingly innocuous name, more suited to some scholarly endeavour, not an ultra-dark-ops division of National Security and Defense, operating across international borders. It was known simply as A.R.G.U.S, charged with the task of taking down terrorist threats in secrecy, specifically without public knowledge. 

Had the boy he was known when he persuaded his girlfriend's sister to go with him on a clandestine trip on the Gambit, it would result in her death and ring the death knell for the rich and privileged life he lived, he would've made a different choice. The price of that decision was too great and one he'd have to pay for the rest of his life. 

He had accepted that.

Following the sinking of the Gambit which drove his dad to take his own life to save his son, Oliver spent two years being hunted on Lian Yu. For a further two years he was dragooned into becoming Amanda Waller's killer. Unable to go home he'd sought respite with Anatoli. He was now at the end of his third year as an A.R.G.U.S agent, officially. It was now eight years since that fateful day when he and Sara had boarded the Gambit. 

To the world the billionaire playboy, heir to the Queen family fortune was considered officially dead, and buried in a watery grave somewhere in the North China seas alongside his father, Sara Lance and the Gambit's crew.

Oliver Queen chose for it to remain that way. 

**Re-Emergence**

Oliver Jensen, as he was now, lived in the shadows. If anyone searched they would find a legit social security number, an educational background and a legend locating Oliver Jensen as a jobsworth in the Department of Defense. In reality Oliver Queen, alias Oliver Jensen, was a highly effective A.R.G.U.S agent. He considered his father's death a futile sacrifice, given where his son had ended up and what he'd become - an anonymous killer with a fake name and a forged history. 

When necessary Oliver stepped outside of ARGUS to kill to protect those he cared about, often at a cost. This dark little secret he would take to the grave. 

His heavily fortified town house was located in a remote area on the outskirts of Star City, surrounded by anonimity and mainly Government employees of one kind or another. He'd placed himself as far away from Queen Mansion as possibly.

His home, to which he had made some essential modifications, was his sanctuary, courtesy of A.R.G.U.S. That’s the least they could do given all the shit they had dumped on him over the years and the various hell holes he regularly inhabited at their behest.

He was on call 24/7 and hardly at home. When he was there, he ventured out under cover of darkness, mostly to have an eye on what remained of his family, his mother and sister, but from a distance. It pleased him that his mother had remarried, although he hardly remembered Walter Steele. He'd done a thorough vetting of the Brit who was now QC's CEO, including liaising with British Intelligence. Walter was a good man.

Oliver grieved the loss of Thea the most.

The other place he ventured to after dark on the rare occasions he was at home, again following rigorous vetting of the establishment and it's clientele, was Verdant, a very discreet private members club. It was owned by his one-time best friend Tommy Merlyn.

Oliver was not surprised at the nature of the club, it suited Tommy's personality down to the ground. It was frequented by the upper echelons of Star City society, the rich and powerful. Only they could afford the annual membership fee.

He'd never seen Tommy at the Club but knew his former friend kept a close eye on the place and was physically present sometimes. Tommy would hardly recognise him in the dim lighting given his changed appearance. 

Laurel and Tommy married. That was a surprise but Oliver was happy for them both. Marriage was not for him, not in this lifetime. But he regarded Laurel as a friend and cared about her in that capacity. They'd had a long and checkered history but his hankering after her had died some time ago along with that screw-up, the former Oliver Queen. 

He was no longer the wild teen whose riotous living ensured that he acquired a certain reputation and was constantly in trouble with every kind of 'authority' including his parents. On reflection, his mom and dad had been much too indulgent of his misdemeanours and it had not ended well for him.

Oliver enjoyed his rare visits to Verdant which always began with an hour’s massage from a skilled and experienced masseuse, his regular and personal choice. He always had Vivienne, no one else.

Vivienne knew exactly what he needed. He liked the feel of her full but firm naked breasts trailing along his back as she straddled his body, her inner thighs pressed softly against his hips. Her magical hands worked him from the soles of his feet to the base of his neck, before doing deeper work on his shoulders. She found and softened every knot in his body until he was almost lulled to sleep.

After his massage Oliver liked to lounge in a soft white bathrobe for about half an hour enjoying a single malt whiskey before moving on to the main event with Vivienne, where he was in total control.

Control was his thing.

Oliver had seen Vivienne a lot lately, sometimes three times a week, during this period of furlough and protection duties. He opened the door with anticipation. She was in her usual position, sitting on her haunches on the floor naked with just a red mask on, head bowed and hands clasped behind her back waiting for him.

On this particular day, Oliver returned home from Verdant in the early hours of the morning feeling relaxed and totally sated. He wondered what tomorrow would bring. There was nothing on his schedule and he was bored. He'd had enough of protection duties.

He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and was heading upstairs to bed when his phone rang.

“Lyla. What’s up?”  
“You’re up Oliver.”  
“Where?”  
“Madagascar. Get here as soon as you can. Alena is waiting to brief you.”  
“On my way.”

Oliver grabbed his permanently prepared backpack and headed two floors down to his garage and jumped on his Ducati.

****

Back at A.R.G.U.S. John Diggle and Lyla Michaels were face-timing via the agency's own unique comms network. 

"So wife, who is joining me out here?"  
"Oliver."  
Diggle looked quizzically at the woman who would always be his wife, divorced or not. “Are you sure about this?”  
“Yes. Why?”  
"I thought you'd send Deadshot. His villainous image would better fit in with the scumbags on this trip."

Lyla laughed. "Not a chance. Floyd Lawton has gone beyond rogue and is no longer on the payroll. Don't worry about Oliver, he'll be fine Johnny."

“Lyla the guy spent nine months in a Russian Gulag for godsake. Do you know what they did to him even in that short time? It’s not even three months since we exchanged him for Petrov. Since then we’ve kept him under wraps at home, sending him only on protection duties. How do we know he is stable enough and ready for the big bad world yet? Abaiya is a very dangerous criminal.”

“Calm down Johnny. There are no Gulags nowadays, and it was nine months, not nine years," Lyla said feeling a little guilty that Oliver was captured at all. It was her fault. They had gotten him out as quickly as possible but not quick enough for her liking. "This is not an onerous mission. Oliver is ready.”

Diggle sighed. “How do you know that?”  
Lyla gave him a withering look. "know what? About Gulags?"

"Stop being obtuse Lyla. You know very well what I mean. There may or may not be Gulags but Metak is a torture chamber from where hardly anyone emerges with their sanity intact.

“Oliver has been extensively debriefed, you know that," his wife retorted. "Nothing showed up on his psych evalv; he’s had a lengthy furlough plus some field experience since his return, he is ready. And he won’t be alone on this mission will he Johnny?"

“I suppose She Who Must Be Obeyed has signed off on it?” Diggle persisted.  
Lyla grinned. "Yes. It was Amanda’s idea. She thinks he is ready.”

Lyla watched her husband, as she secretly thought of him, shake his head. She knew how fond he was of Oliver. “Johnny, it’s fine, I promise. Oliver is one of our top operatives and we need him back on his game in peak condition. This is a gentle way of easing him back in.”

Oliver was tight-lipped about his time on Lian Yu. Although he’d been debriefed about that experience, John knew there were things he held back. The same with Russia. Oliver had passed his numerous polygraph tests with flying colours. Too fucking good to be true in John’s opinion.

The Russians knew they had captured a top counter-terrorism officer and would have done a number on him but Oliver had emerged from Metak prison outwardly relatively unscathed.

Diggle didn’t believe it.

Diggle knew a little of what Oliver had suffered at the hands of Fyers and his henchman Billy Wintergreen plus Ivo, the crazed doctor/scientist. How he'd survived all that, plus what Waller put him through in Hong Kong, and surfacing from his recent stint in Metak apparently intact was beyond John's comprehension.

Diggle often wondered whether in fact Oliver didn't have a mild tincture of miracuru running through his veins. The man was as strong as an ox and his mind control was off the chart, but Oliver always denied that.

In the three plus years he'd worked with Oliver Queen, they’d grown to trust each other. Oliver was like a brother to him, almost replacing his own brother whom he’d lost. John didn’t want Oliver coming into a situation he was not ready for. He hoped Waller had made the right decision.

**Port of Toamasina, Madagascar**

Oliver stood in a sheltered spot some way from the dockside watching the cargo being loaded on to the Monrovia Star. He wanted to keep out of sight and be among the last to board. His keen eye honed in on the extra large metal container being hoisted aboard by crane. 

He was about to tangle with a brutal warlord who was targeting the United Kingdom, a close ally, in order to get at the various US bases in that country according to the Intelligence. A.R.G.U.S together with their counterpart in the UK led by Patrick Meadows, were mounting a pre-emptive strike and had an approved kill order.

Oliver removed his special Satnav phone from the inside pocket of his leather jacket, punched in his unique code and repeated the approved protocols.

"What's your status Alpha One?" came the immediate response.  
“I’m about to board.”

“I don’t need to remind you how dangerous this man is. He is head of terrorist operations in Africa. Be careful," said Lyla.  
“Understood. Over and out.”

Oliver began walking towards the Captain of the vessel. Over the man’s shoulder, he glympsed a blond woman being hustled towards the ship's gangway by some guy with an arm around her shoulders. “What’s with the prostitute Captain?” Oliver asked with some exasperation in his voice.

“Do you like blondes?” the Captain smirked.

Oliver glanced around, his thumb and forefinger rubbing against each other. “I thought no women or children were allowed on board. Are you trying to instigate a riot or something?"

“I can’t deny my men a chance to make a few extra dollars. She'll fetch a good price at the other end."

Oliver's eyes narrowed. "Good luck with that." He watched as the woman's companion, her pimp no doubt, stopped at the bottom of the gangway and shook the blond slightly then pressed his lips to her forehead. 

_What the fuck?_

The ship's engineer waited until Oliver was well out of earshot before addressing the Captain in Malagasy. "Do you think he is going to make trouble?"

"Don't worry Demitri, I'll deal with it if he does," said the Captain. They watched Oliver stride past the blond and her minder or whoever he was, and boarded the ship.

Oliver tried to make a swift assessment of the situation as he walked past the couple. The woman's head was turned away from him so he couldn't really see her face. He couldn't tell anything about her nationality but she looked young.

What could he do about the situation? A woman on board was an unnecessary complication; she was also in danger. But he'd keep his head down and mind his own business. He knew Amanda Waller was testing him and he was not about to fuck-up by wrestling some random prostitute away from her pimp. 

It was going to be a longish journey past the Cape through the South Atlantic heading North past the Americas to England, although the Monrovia Star would not get that far. He would deal with the target as soon as they hit the North Atlantic.

Oliver spent the days in his cabin in contemplation or exercising, only venturing up on deck either before dawn or late after passengers had turned in for the night and the crew was sparse; and for meals.

It was time. 

Oliver went up on deck a little earlier than usual to check in with A.R.G.U.S and that's when he saw them, the blond and her pimp. Oliver stopped abruptedly. The guy was talking to the woman in a comforting way. 'Everything will be okay, you'll see.'

The woman turned and looked directly at Oliver. Her face was sad with even sadder eyes. That was it. He decided to make an intervention just to see where it would go. He appraised the woman from head to toe in a deliberately lewd manner. Then his eyes shifted to the man. "If she's clean, I'll give you two hundred for an hour with her."

Oliver turned to the woman again. He took in the pinkish tinge at the ends of her unkempt hair, her silver eyebrow stud and the faint blue bruising on her right cheekbone. His anger flared. The bastard was either beating on her or letting others do it. She may be a prostitute but no man should hit a woman. "Are you okay baby?" he asked, disinterestedly. 

"Hey," the man said, "you don't talk to her, and mind your own business."

"Oh come on man, you can't expect to bring a woman on board and keep her all to yourself," Oliver leered. The man took a swing at him.

Oliver grabbed him by the throat and squeezed before slamming his head down on some wooden packing cases. The woman grabbed his arm. "Please." Her eyes pleaded with him. "It's okay. Him," she pointed to the man, "friend." She pointed to herself. "Yes?"

Oliver stared into blue eyes. He thought he detected a hint of shrewdness there. He searched her face before turning back to the man. "I see she has a soft spot for you," he snarled before wrenching his hand away from the man's throat and continued on his way up the stairs.

Oliver's eyes fixed on the man approaching him, it was Abaiya. He gave the man a half nod as they passed on the stairway. He glanced up to see the Captain observing everything from his perch on the upper deck before moving away out of sight. 

Before Oliver could reach him, the Captain unlocked a box and removed a gun and silencer. He put the latter in his pocket and pushed the gun into the back of his belt. He then made his way down via the side stairs to find a vantage point from where he could observe Oliver's return to his cabin.

Up on deck Oliver found a secluded spot from which to check in.

"Alpha One, what is your status?"  
"Target is on board. Eyeball confirmation. Are we good?" Oliver checked.  
"Complete the operation. The kill has to happen in international waters."  
"Copy that. Over and out," Oliver affirmed and returned to his cabin.

Within a few minutes there was a knock on his door. Oliver quickly surveyed the cabin, checking on what was on view before opening the door.  
"Captain," he said, standing back to let the man enter. 

Oliver folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the door. "What the hell Digg, what's that woman doing on board? I thought crew and passengers were being kept to a minimum. We can't afford any collatoral if things turn bad."

"We had to agree to certain conditions to persuade the owners to take me on as Skipper. She was one of them. A refusal would probably have cost us this opportunity."

"Fine," said Oliver, but stay extra vigilant because we don't know what else is going on here."

Diggle handed him the gun and silencer. "Abaiya has a large container on board. I tried to check it out but it's welded shut. Can't be good."

"Yeah, I saw that. Let's deal with Abaiya first, and we need to get that woman off the ship as soon as possible.."

Diggle nodded. A non-verbal communication passed between them. Things could easily veer off course.

Oliver waited for nightfall over the North Atlantic before attaching the silencer and making his way to Abaiya's quarters, moving silently and stealthily. He stopped at the target's door and listened. His head swivelled in the direction of scuffling beyond Abaiya's cabin.  
He moved swiftly towards an enclosure ahead with a low wooden partition. He peered over the top. The blond was crouching down on her knees, looking up at him and the gun pointing at her head. She looked terrified. 

Oliver assessed the situation quickly. "I won't hurt you. Who are you? What are you doing here?" "Do you speak English?"

"Yes, no. Little. You no shoot. Please. I run. I go," she said in broken English, her bowed head shielded with her hands. Oliver couldn't place the accent. Eastern European? South American perhaps, even with her blond hair which he assumed was all dye. 

"You should not be wondering about in the dead of night, it's dangerous. Go back to your cabin now. Lock your door and don't come out until you hear my voice. Do you understand?" She nodded. "Hurry, go," he said, pulling her up.

Just then they heard a loud commotion, voices shouting and gun fire. Oliver took the woman's arm, pulling her behind him as he crept to the other end of the walkway and looked up in the direction of the noise. "Pirates," he said, pushing her towards the side stairway. "We go. Now."

They turned a corner and came face to face with a pirate pointing a military grade weapon at their heads. Oliver slowly put his gun down on the floor and raised his hands in the air.

His blonde companion raised hers too.

 _Oh Frak. This is bad. Really, really bad. Let's hope that handsome here has a trick or two up his sleeve._

Felicity Smoak exhaled, hoping she'd not said that out loud.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you spot Diggle as the captain straightaway? Did you spot Felicity before the last line?


	2. No Time to Die

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver, Felicity and Diggle have to manage their current situation and avoid falling foul of the pirates/hi-jackers. Oliver will find that difficult. It's a fraught time as the tension is ratcheted up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For all my dark fic enthusiasts, and for your beast Sanne in Denmark, here is an early chapter two - only because it downloaded with chapter one and just needed editing. 
> 
> Chapter 3 will be posted next weekend. 
> 
> Enjoy. It's been fun to write so far.

Oliver and Felicity were shoved at gunpoint into the ship's control room where passengers and crew had been herded by the pirates. Everyone was seated on the floor againsts the walls with their wrists plasticuffed. 

The newcomers were prodded down on their knees. 

"I found these two outside. He had a gun." Their captor reported to the man standing in the centre of the room. He was cradling his weapon with a belt of bullets slung across his chest.

That sonofabitch must be their leader, Oliver observed grimly to himself. What the fuck was going on here? Were the pirates connected to Abaiya or would he be surprised by this invasion. He hoped the latter. Where was the man anyway?

Oliver quickly scanned the room, there was no sign of his target.

"Who are all these people?" Bullet Belt growled at the Captain.

"They're just passengers. If you don't hurt anyone the company will pay good money," Diggle informed the man.

The pirate ignored him, and turned to Oliver, whom he reached in a few steps. He prodded his gun into Oliver's forehead. "You had a gun. Why?

"Why do you think? Protection against people like you," Oliver snarled, glaring at his antagonist.

_Cool it handsome. What is wrong with you? That is not the way to endear yourself to marauding pirates. That is the way to get a freaking bullet through the brain.._

Felicity glanced sideways at her would-be protector's profile. Greek freaking god. His hotness assailed her, not for the first time. Her eyes settled on the mole beside his distinctly drawn and very kissable lips. Bet he has great abs too. She felt the blush creeping up and quickly lowered her head, eyes downcast trying to look demure. 

_Right now you're facing clear and present danger Smoak, literally staring down the barrel of a gun. Could you have chosen a worst time to admire some guy's bod._

Bullet Belt laughed in Oliver's face, showing his bad teeth. "Behold," he addressed his men, "a gangster and his whore." He made a flourish with one arm towards Oliver and Felicity.  
He turned to the pirate who found them. "Do not waste any bullets on them. Cuff them. Take them outside, cut their throats and throw them overboard." 

_Frack. I knew it. A bullet would be kinder guys, but I'm not ready to die yet. Handsome really needs to up his game._

Their original captor signalled to another pirate who went ahead leading Felicity and Oliver to the top deck. Their captor followed behind.

The lead pirate, a bald-headed vicious-looking type, stopped when they reached a secluded area of the stern. He leered at Felicity, his eyes already undressing her.

Oliver immediately stepped up in front of her, causing the pirate to glare at him. "You first," he snarled as he unleashed the cutlass from his belt and attempted to grab Oliver, who was already moving. 

Oliver twisted his body and lounged his leg back, aiming a powerful kick at the groin of the man behind. By the time he heard a pain-filled grunt and a thud as his target landed on his knees, Oliver's head had already rammed into baldy's gut, sending him sprawling to the floor.

Oliver was on the pirate immediately, strangling the life out of him, even with his wrists bound together. There wasn't time to remove the small sharp knife holstered at his ankle. 

The man kicked in the groin, although in severe distress, dragged himself towards the pair on the ground and managed to wrap both arms around Oliver's neck, trying to pull him off his comrade. Oliver's head jerked back hard and he felt when the bone in the man's nose collapsed followed by a high-pitched yell of pain. 

"Watch out," Felicity called out. A double staccato sound popped in Oliver's ear. Gun shots. Two of them. He looked up startled, to see the blond with a gun in her hand and both men dead beside him.

Jesus. The woman was lethal. He stared at her. She looked as shocked as he was feeling, although very little shocked him. But he could tell, she was not a killer. Not like him. 

Felicity stared at Oliver too. There was a hint of defiance in her stance. She knew what he was thinking, she could see it in his eyes. But she would never be a damsel in distress, not again. Been there, done that.  
"I had to," she whispered. "He was reaching for the cutlass, he was going to hurt you." 

"It's okay," he said, springing up from the floor. "Tell me who you are. Obviously not some terrified prostitute cowering in the corner."

She shook off old memories. "Not the time for explanations. We have to hide these bodies before anyone comes to find out why their comrades have not returned," Felicity said, grabbing the cutlass to sever his cuffs. He returned the gesture, and together they dragged the two bodies into a corner and covered them with tarpaulin.

"So who are you?" Oliver asked again when they were done.

"Private contractor. I'm assuming you're security services. I suppose you are after Abaiya. That's the only reason you would be on board."

"And what are you and your pimp doing here?" Oliver asked curtly, and waited for a response which never came. Felicity just stared passively at him.  
"Fine," he spat out, "but you're coming with me and you're going to do exactly as you're told. Is that clear?"

"You may be security services mister grunt and growl, but you have no jurisdiction over me. I just saved your life, asshat."

Oliver gave her a withering look. "Yeah. We'll talk about that later. Where did that gun come from anyway?"

"Where do you think?"  
His blue eyes appraised her. "What?" she asked, "where do you keep your gun?"

"Let's move," he said, shaking his head. "I don't suppose you have any other lethal weapons secreted on your person."

Felicity ignored him and reached to pick up her gun. A hand gripped her wrist, hard. "Ouch. You're hurting me you brute. Let me go." 

Oliver released her and took the gun. It was so small it could almost be concealed in one of his hands. How the hell did she manage to shoot with such speed and accuracy with this thing. "Come on, we need to go," he growled. 

Felicity picked up the cutlass. There was no way she was going to be defenceless against these blood-thirsty, throat-cutting smelly pirates, even if she had Mr Handsome as protector. By all accounts, she had protected _him._

They made their way stealthily, back to the area where the pirates were congregated. They crouched behind some barrels, concealing themselves, but from where they could see directly into the hostage room. There was a buzz of conversation among the pirates. 

"They seem to be waiting for something or someone," whispered Oliver. 

"You're not seriously thinking of taking them on, there are too many of them," Felicity whispered back.

"I need you to go back to my cabin, B Deck, cabin 3," said Oliver. "You'll find a phone under the mattress of my bunk. Dial **zero.zero.hashtag.star.seven.** Whoever answers give them the emergency code **Cobalt.Blue. Zero.Seven.Seven.** Ask for Lyla Michaels. Tell her briefly what happened, ask her to assess and advise.  
You got all that?" 

"Why don't you go?" Felicity huffed.

"Because I need to keep my eye on my partner and unlike me, you're less likely to be shot on sight."  
"Well thanks a bunch. So I'm likely to be what? Hauled off to some cabin to be..."

"Stop talking." Oliver hissed. "Go. Now. That is if you want to live another day. Bring the phone back with you. Go."

Felicity huffed crossly, but she took up her cutlass and left.

****

Alena handed the handset to Lyla. "It's not Oliver or John. It's a woman, name's Smoke.

Lyla raised an eyebrow and took the phone. "Who is this?"

"Ms Michaels? My name is Felicity Smoak, a private security contractor surveilling Abaiya's organisation. The Monrovia Star has been boarded by pirates. It's not yet clear if the invasion has anything to do with Abaiya.  
"Your agent is waiting for an opportunity to rescue the captain who is being held at gunpoint. Please assess and advise." 

Lyla muted the phone and looked at Alena who was listening in on an earpiece, her fingers flying over the keyboard searching PRIVATE SECURITY CONTRACTOR/SMOKE/FEMALE. "Do we trust this?"

"Since it's Oliver we're talking about, I say trust it." Alena affirmed. "She is giving us information and quoted the correct emergency protocols. It would take a month of Sundays to get that out of Oliver, if then."

Lyla unmuted her phone, only to hear Felicity's voice.  
"Time is not on our side Ms Michaels. In this instance you'll have to accept that the alternative hypothesis is true." 

Alena looked at Lyla, her brow wrinkled. _What?_ She mouthed. 

Lyla grinned. She was an advanced math major too but how would this woman know how to partially allay her suspicions. "Fine Ms Smoak. Tell Alpha One to abort the primary mission, then I want all of you off that boat. This office will take care of the rest. Alpha One should advise me of his status as soon as possible. I repeat. Abort primary mission."

"Understood. Over and out," Felicity confirmed.

"Curtis get Meadows on comms, I need to let London know about this spanner in the works," said Lyla. 

"What did she mean about the alternative hypothesis," asked Alena. 

Lyla laughed. "Its all about probabilities. Statisticians use the null/alternative hypotheses when calculating outcomes. Smart cookie Ms Smoak. She was telling me there's no time to share a long story to prove her authenticity. Sometimes the unexpected or something that is not the norm happens. Ms Smoak anticipated my doubt. Check her out will you. She is obviously after Abaiya as well. I want to know why?" 

***

Oliver heard Felicity's soft footsteps before she crouched down behind him. "Did you get through?"

"Yes. You must abort the primary mission and get off the ship. Your people will take care of the rest." Oliver nodded. His attention remained focused on the hostage room. 

Oliver suddenly pushed his companion further back into the shadows when he heard footsteps coming up the main stairway just ahead of them. Felicity stretched her neck over his shoulder so she could see. 

Oliver's eyes widened as he watched Abaiya stride into the control room, followed by another man in an oatmeal coloured tropical suit. 

Felicity's eyes widened too. Her skin paled, and her breath stuttered, her heart thundered in her chest. Her eyes were riveted on Oatmeal suit. It _was_ him. She thought she'd spotted him once before but persuaded herself it couldn't be true. What was he doing on a cargo ship, and this one in particular, chumming up with a warlord? 

***

"Abaiya. My brother," Bullet Belt greeted the newcomer. They embraced. Abaiya said something in a low voice and the pirate leader handed him a gun. 

Abaiya walked slowly around the room looking at each person in turn.  
Suddenly he shot the man sitting on one side of Diggle. "We need Captain and Engineer only," he said. 

_Jesus Christ, the man's a psychopath._ "If you kill any more of my men, I swear, I won't pilot the ship," said Diggle angrily.  
"And I swear to you, I will kill everyone on this boat, one by one until you do your job. Starting with this passenger." Abaiya spun around and shot the next person. 

"You killed him," Abaiya said softly to Diggle. "Not me. Are you ready to do your job now?"  
"Okay, fine. But stop the killing spree."  
"That's up to you Captain."  
"Lock the rest of them up," Abaiya instructed the pirates. 

Some way away from the control room, there was a sharp intake of breath. All colour drained from Felicity's face. Her partner had just been shot dead. Oliver reached back and squeezed her hand. 

"Pass me a phone," Abaiya said, clicking his fingers. "Hurry, I don't have time to waste."  
Someone put a phone in his hand.  
Abaiya dialled a number and waited. "Hollio. We are ready. You can begin."  
Abaiya listened for a few seconds then disconnected the call. "Turn off the GPS and activate the signal jammer," he instructed. 

****

"Woah." Curtis cursed beneath his breath.

Alena and Lyla crowded around his desk. "What happened?" They asked in unison.

"The GPS signal on the Monrovia Star just died." 

"Red Flash Oliver on the Satnav phone," instructed Lyla.  
"Signal's blocked. They've activated a jammer; they're now invisible." Curtis looked mournful.

"This is not good. Time to call in the cavalry," said Alena.

"Curtis patch London in for a conference, I'll get Amanda," said Lyla already moving.

*****

Felicity clutched Oliver's jacket and hid her face against him as all the crew and passengers aboard the Monrovia Star were taken to lockdown, passing close to where they were concealed. 

Diggle and the Engineer, Abaiya, Bullet Belt and two other men were left in the Control room.  
Oliver held a bullet in his hand waiting for an opportunity to catch Digg's attention. When it came, he rolled the bullet on the floor hoping the slight noise reached John's ear, and his alone.

It worked. Digg looked right at him, then turned his head away and nodded once.  
"We are too low in the water," Diggle informed the pirate leader. I need to go to the Engine Room and check it out," he said in a voice loud enough for Oliver to hear. 

"If anything needs checking, the Engineer can go," said Bullet Belt. 

"No," Diggle said firmly. "I am responsible for this vessel and the lives of the people on it. I need to know exactly what condition my ship is in at all times," he emphasized. "The Engineer can come too if you want."

"No. One of you must stay here," said Bullet Belt, still hesitating.

"There's no time to waste," Diggle prompted. "It's probably the Ballast pump. If it fails we could capsize. I need my tools."

Bullet Belt looked to Abaiya for guidance. He nodded and jerked his head. The pirate signaled to one of his men. "Go with him, keep your eyes on him." 

Diggle made his way via the main stairway. "You must be very careful in the Engine room," he said again ensuring that Oliver heard.

Oliver hustled Felicity down the side stairway to get to the back of the Engine room.

"There are some very sensitive instruments in here," Diggle told his escort. "I don't want you to accidentally disturb anything, or have the moisture from your breath clog up the delicate machinery, which would send the ship off course. Your leader be would very unhappy about that. It's best if you stay on guard outside and let me do my job, as Abaiya wants me to."

The guard nodded and stepped back out, shutting the door. Diggle's use of Abaiya's name seemed to put the fear of god into the pirate, plus he knew absolutely nothing about ships and engine rooms. Digg banked on him swallowing the BS. 

Diggle moved quickly, scaling a metal ladder. He pressed his face up against the ventilation grill. "Alpha One are you there?" 

"Yes Captain, I have the woman with me."  
Diggle raised an eyebrow. "What is she doing here," he asked frowning at Felicity's presence.

"She's okay," Oliver assured him. Diggle wasn't impressed and hoped Oliver knew what he was doing.

"I'm on your side Captain," said Felicity, looking up. "Look, let's get on with this, I'll explain everything later." 

"What's going on John?" Oliver asked. 

"They are not pirates, they're with Abaiya. Hi-jacking the ship is part of the plan. They had explosives in that large container, at least 30 tons. I've just seen it on my way down here. "  
"Shit," Oliver breathed out. 

"You can't contact the Grid," Diggle told him. "They've turned off the GPS and jammed the signals. We are invisible. You need to get off the ship and out of jammer range. 

"No way I'm leaving you. We all have to get off John. I'm not going without you."

"I'm not asking Alpha One. I'm staying. This is not a practice run, it's the real thing. This is the mission. We are currently on a floating bomb, and I may get a chance to stop the ship before it gets anywhere near land. If we both leave, it's a fail. We must try and stop whatever Abaiya has planned. 

"John this is not the time..."  
"No Oliver," Diggle interrupted him. "Listen to me. They won't kill me, not yet, they need the Captain. You need to get the hell out and call for help. I'm depending on you Oliver. Find a way to cause a diversion, I'll release the lifeboat lock.  
"One more thing, I heard Abaiya talking on the phone to someone called Hollio. Abaiya told him to begin. It sounded important and may be connected to whatever they are planning. Now go Oliver, you know I'm right. In my place you'd do the same."  
He disappeared before Oliver could say another word. 

Felicity touched his arm, "I have an idea how to cause a diversion. Follow me to my colleague's cabin." Oliver nodded.

Felicity rummaged around her deceased colleague's belongings until she found what she was looking for: a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. She handed them to him. 

Oliver took them and gave her a nod. "Find somewhere to hide near to the lifeboats on the upper deck. I'll find you." Felicity nodded, retrieving the cutlass and the Sat/phone. 

Oliver made his way back to the Engine Room, lit several cigarettes and left them close to specific instruments and hurried away to find Felicity.

In no time an alarm sounded in the Control room. The console in front of Diggle flashed red. "Fire in the Engine Room!" he shouted, surreptitiously unlocking the lifeboats, and headed for the door.  
Diggle stopped at the sound of safety clasps being released. He turned around to find three rifles aimed at his head. 

"You want to die?" he yelled at Abaiya.

Abaiya jerked his head at Bullet Belt, the pirate leader. "Take the Engineer, go and see what's happening."  
"You stay here" he told Diggle.

Diggle listened to the pandemonium as panicking pirates ran back and forth, following the Engineer's instructions. Oliver will have to tell him how the hell he managed to start a fire in the Engine Room. 

Eventually Bullet Belt returned and spoke to Abaiya in low tones.  
The warlord glanced at Diggle, who was busying himself with the instruments on the console, he knew what was coming.  
Abaiya swivelled off his chair and stalked over to Diggle. "Two of my men have been found dead on the upper deck and a lifeboat is missing. You helped those two passengers to escape. Who are they?" He shouted in Diggle's face. 

Diggle raised both his hands, palms turned out. "When would I have the opportunity to do that? I've been here with you all this time, and your man was on guard when I inspected the Engine Room.  
Ask your friend over there about the gangster and his whore who he ordered be killed. They obviously managed to overpower your men. So don't blame me."

Abaiya glared at the pirate leader, then back at John. "You sail this ship," he said through clenched teeth. "If anything else happens you die."


	3. Not a Gentleman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Felicity arrive at a place of safety. The relationship between them is interesting. 
> 
> Oliver blames himself for John's plight and A.R.G.U.S makes a discovery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. Not next weekend then. Too hot to do much, except write in the shade.

Felicity was petrified, almost literally turned to stone. She could hardly breathe. With eyes shut tight and lower lip clamped by her teeth, whitened knuckles gripped the side of the lifeboat for dear life. She felt infinitesimally small and insignificant afloat on a cold, grey and fathomless sea stretching out farther than the eye could see in any direction, not that she was looking. 

Right now handsome or Mr Grunt and Growl was being Mr Silent and she was grateful for that, because if she opened her mouth she would projectile hurl all over him. 

A primal fear suddenly gripped her. Sharks! They were probably surrounded by sharks and other sea monsters right now. She almost wailed out loud and promptly stopped biting her lip in case she drew blood. Sharks scented blood and followed boats. She'd seen it in movies.

Oliver watched her. Was she even breathing? He reached out and touched her knee. "Hey." Felicity peered at him out of one eye. The semblance of a smile touched his lips. "It's okay, relax. You need to breathe." 

She closed her eye again.

"Did you hear me? You need to breathe. Don't want you having a damn panic attack on me. Not a good time."

Silence.

He shrugged, still watching her. She'd done well on the Monrovia but he didn't trust her. He didn't even know her name. And that gun, 45 caliber, it looked more like an oversized joke cigarette lighter, but it was lethal. Hi-tech, precision and custom-made. He'd never seen one like it. Where the fuck did she get something like that? She just shot those men, her aim true, hands as steady as a rock. Where did she learn to do that? 

Taking a human life was corrosive to the soul. People like him could do that. Not her. What exactly was she doing on the Monrovia Star? He had so many damn questions about her and she wasn't going to answer any of them. 

Gauging that they were probably out of jammer range by now, Oliver switched on his Sat/phone and was patched through to Lyla.  
"What's your status Alpha One.."

"On a lifeboat somewhere in the North Atlantic." He looked at the handset to get precise geographic coordinates for her.

"I'll have the nearest Coast Guards pick you up in no time." 

"We had to leave Alpha 2 behind. He's determined to find an opportunity to stop the Monrovia reaching land. There's over 30 tons of explosives on board. There's no way we could have known that. The damn ship is a floating bomb." He heard Lyla's gasp and he knew she was thinking the worse, just like he was. But they would never admit it to each other. 

Lyla closed her eyes. They didn't expect or anticipate that. And Johnny was still aboard. Nothing less than she expected of him.  
"Its a good thing you were able to get off the vessel Alpha One. Now we know about it's payload we can try and mount some evasive action before the Monrovia Star gets anywhere close to land. In time she'll no longer be invisible. If they plan to blow up the ship in an English Port, Abaiya won't get within the fifty mile safety zone of British waters, the place is being heavily patrolled as we speak." 

That was small comfort to Oliver given Diggle was still on board. "Unless they're stupid, then their target must be something else." 

"The Brits are already checking out other vulnerable sites apart from ports. There's the City of London itself of course, but the obstacles are the same. We need more info. There must be something we are missing/not seeing. Did anything else happen on board? Anything strange?" 

"Alpha Two mentioned something which may be important and relate to whatever Abaiya is planning. He talked to someone called Hollio just before they shut the signals down. He told Hollio to begin. It might be connected to Abaiya's end game."

"Hollio is the codename for a high level hacktivist who operates mainly on the dark web," said Alena, listening in on her headset.

"A hacktivist, what's that?" Oliver asked. 

"A fanatical believer in a cause. They are on a crusade to further some social or political end by any means necessary, using their exceptional tech skills." 

"That has a familiar ring. You mean a terrorist."

"We'll dig into the possibility of a connection between Abaiya and Hollio Alpha One.  
"I presume the private contractor is with you?" There was a smile in Lyla's voice.

Oliver glanced at the woman opposite. Her eyes were still tightly shut but she looked less tense. "Uhmm, help me out here."

Lyla laughed. "Her name is Felicity Smoak. She's legit. A young hotshot working for Spectrum Security Consultants, the 'go to' contractors for major corporations worldwide. Their reputation is second to none. Apparently Abaiya's group of terrorists have inflicted major damage on their clients' installations throughout Africa. See if you can find out exactly why she was on the Monrovia." 

"Roger that. And I have tried. Wait for my next status report. Over and out."

Felicity was listening intently to the conversation. The warm timber of Oliver's voice soothed her. She had calmed down considerably since he started talking. He should talk more rather than bark orders at her and snarl at pirates.  
She knew something was said about her. She expected his people had checked her out and Lyla Michaels relayed that information to him.

Felicity prised her eyes open. "So what does your agency know about Hollio?"  
"Why? Do you know something about him?"

"I've heard of him. He could be a 'she' by the way. Hollio operates on the very dark side. He or she could well be in league with Abaiya."

"You obviously know more about all this than I do."

_That's because I'm a genius handsome._

Felicity glanced at Oliver, he was apparently lost in his own thoughts. Felicity closed her eyes again, shutting herself off from him. He was just a little too inquisitive for her liking.

***

In a relatively short time they were picked up by Coast Guards and taken to the nearest Naval Base on the European mainland, where Oliver checked in briefly with Lyla again. "Anything more about Hollio's link with Abaiya?"

"We are working on it. Apparently there is a connection. The British have been tracking it but their messages are heavily encrypted and it takes time to decipher."

"I thought they were good at that. Bletchley Hall and all that."  
"Be kind Alpha One."  
"Well, Meadows irritates me. He can never do anything. He always needs permission, can never use his discretion." 

Lyla laughed. "Careful Alpha One, you're beginning to sound like Waller."

"God forbid. Look Lyla there's a patrol boat heading back out. I need to go back for John."

"No, absolutely not. He is our best and only bet for stopping a catastrophe we know very little about right now. We need to trust he is going to come through. He always does. I need you back here on the Grid ASAP. A flight from our Air Base in Cape Verde will pick you up in two hours."

"Roger that boss. Over and out."

Oliver walked back to where he'd left Felicity sitting at a table with a blanket over her shoulders, her hands cupping a mug of coffee. "You did good back there on the Monrovia," he told her.

"You mean you couldn't have done it without me."  
"If you say so Ms Delusional."  
"My name is Smoak. Felicity Smoak. With an O.A.K. Not an O.K.E."

"Good to meet you Ms Smoak, I'm Oliver Jensen. So you're a private contractor, and who was the guy with you and why were you both on the Monrovia?" Critical eyes bore into her.

"Aren't we the nosey one. The guy with me was my work colleague, we were tracking Abaiya. We knew he was up to something. When you found me I was about to bug his cabin but I heard someone coming and hid." 

"And you hoped to get away with that without being caught?"

"I'm good at what I do Oliver. Unfortunately I had to leave my tech behind near Abaiya's cabin where you found me, for fear of revealing that I was other than some air-head prostitute who couldn't speak English. Then pirates invaded and I didn't get my stuff back. I'm real pissed I can tell you."

Oliver almost rolled his eyes. She was in a life and death situation and she was worried about her damn tech? "So you and your colleague put yourselves in grave danger, for what exactly?" 

"That's all you need to know. My employers are meticulous about keeping their clients business private. We have a reputation to uphold. And anyway how were we to know Abaiya's band of cutthroats would board the ship mid-journey." 

"And that's exactly the problem right there." Oliver snapped at her.

"Oh no you don't Mr Grunt and Growl. You don't get to play the 'meddling into things you know nothing about' card. I dare say it caught you and your colleague by surprise too."

"That's true Ms Smoak but my partner and I are trained for this. What happened to your friend was sadly inevitable. And what about you, the only woman on a boat with men who would not think twice about...." Oliver stopped and clamped his lips together. He could feel his anger rising at her. He'd hate to know his sister had put herself in that situation. 

Why should he care? She put herself in harm's way by choice.

"Okay, you've made your point. But like you, this is my job." Felicity stared defiantly at him. 

Oliver didn't want to hear her justifications. She was playing in a dangerous world, populated by psychopaths and was apparently oblivious to it all. "Would you excuse me Ms Smoak, I need to stretch my legs. We are getting a ride home in two hours. So no running off with another pimp and boarding another boat," he said with a smirk. 

She gave him the finger as he scraped back his chair, and started to walk away.  
"Hey," she called after him.  
"What?"  
"You just gonna leave me here alone? I'm hungry. You're no gentleman."

Oliver stopped and turned back to her. "Why don't you talk to this nice Naval Officer here. I'm sure she'll show you where to get all your needs met. And no, I'm not a gentleman Ms Smoak, I'm glad you've got that. But you think I'm handsome though." He smirked at her again." 

Felicity blushed to the roots of her hair. _You may be handsome but you're just an asshole._

***

When they landed at Virginia Base, Felicity glanced up at her companion who had been silent for the entire flight. "Everything okay Oliver?"  
"I'm good Ms Smoak. You?"  
"Can you give me a lift?" 

Oliver was anxious to get away, John was his top priority. He wasn't interested in making any detours. "No. I'm not going anywhere you're going Ms Smoak."  
Feeling he'd been a little churlish, Oliver tried to make amends. "Look, I'm sorry about your colleague but that's exactly why people like you should not meddle in these matters."

"Look asshat, I've just about had it with you." Felicity glared at him. "My company has over thirty years experience and I won't be patronized by you. We're in the same field bud." 

"You think? Right now my friend and colleague is being held at gunpoint by a psycho, putting his life at risk on a ship loaded with explosives. Then there are people like you, bunglers."  
He pointed a finger at her. "You people are profiteers, with no regard for anything except the bottom line. I reckon you can afford your own train ticket." 

Felicity was unfazed. "What happened to make you so bitter and twisted. Find a heart Oliver, I've just been under cover as a prostitute. I've not earned a dime as I was running around saving your ass. If it wasn't for me that smelly pirate would have hacked off one of your limbs or even chopped you in the head."

"Just a limb? I thought it was my life you'd saved."  
"Same thing. They'd have thrown your bleeding butt into the sea for the sharks. They can scent blood you know, sharks I mean."  
Oliver struggled to keep a straight face. He removed his wallet from his back pocket and counted out a hundred dollars in 20s into the palm of her outstretched hand.

"Is that all you got? You were willing to pay two hundred for an hour with me, remember?"

Oliver stared at her and shook his head. Without a word he counted another fifty into her hand.

"Thank you," she called out sweetly to his retreating back. A small smile creased her face.

_I'll see you again soon handsome._

She knew Oliver Jensen. She knew him as well as she knew herself, well enough to be certain that she was going to get what she needed from him.

***

Amanda Waller and Lyla watched Oliver pace back and forth across the Grid. "He's worried about Johnny and convinced he shouldn't have left him. If anything happens to John, Oliver will blame himself." 

"This is the life we lead, he should be used to it by now." 

Lyla glanced at her boss. Waller didn't get it. This was personal for Oliver. Johnny wasn't just another agent. He was family, a brother to Oliver, and probably his last remaining anchor in the world. 

They watched as Oliver suddenly grabbed his jacket and headed out the door.

He was frustrated and wound up so tight, he thought he would explode. He could no longer stay on the Grid waiting for something to happen...waiting to hear something. It was best if he occupied himself, his mind. He needed distraction. He thought about Vivienne but wasn't in the mood. He'd wait until he knew John was safe. He would not entertain any other scenario. 

He jumped on his bike and headed home, to his sanctuary. 

From his garage Oliver walked up the internal stairs to the gym. He removed his shoes, socks, jacket and shirt before jumping up to grip the bar for the salmon ladder.

Several hours later, exhausted by his exertions on training dummies and copious ninja stick-fighting moves with the long slender, blunt weapons, Oliver took a further set of stairs into his living area and collapsed into his deep comfy couch with a single malt.

Then he slept.

***

Waller waved her hand at Alena and Curtis hovering outside her door, signaling for them to come in. They joined Oliver, Lyla and Waller around the conference table, where everyone had their own personal screen.

"Go ahead Patrick," Waller said to her British counterpart and his team on her screen.

"I've had a look at Abaiya's potential targets here, specifically Naval bases around the South Coast. That's the most likely place for him to aim. There are also numerous targets around the City of London. But unless he has a rocket launcher, I don't understand what he's doing. We need more information." 

"It would help if we had recent communication between Abaiya and Hollio, said Lyla. "We need to know what they are saying to each other. Has anyone got anything?" 

Joanna Shipton, Meadows' number two chimed in. "I've been liaising closely with Curtis, we've discovered that Hollio bounces his messages from servers all over the world. Each message between them has a different dynamic signature. We'd have to trawl the non-index deep web to develop a cypher. It will require a lot of computing power and that takes time.

"What are you waiting for?" Waller couldn't understand why they were even having this conversation. The Brits should have been on this, like yesterday.

"We could send out a worm to hi-jack thousands of personal computers, but in this country that would be illegal Ms Waller," Joanna Shipton said simply. 

"What's the downside Patrick?" Waller asked. "A few files might get corrupted, Some people may have to struggle through a couple of hours without Candy Crush and pornography. That pales into insignificance as opposed to the egg on both our faces in a few days time, if Abaiya is successful at whatever he's planning."

Oliver's throat constricted. He agreed with Waller. If that bastard succeeded it meant John would be dead. "You need to run this by your PTB Patrick. Get them to understand what's at stake here. We're running out of time."

"I understand Oliver, I'll do my best."

_Your best isn't fucking good enough Meadows. Just get it done._

Alena hated these virtual group meetings, especially when Waller was present. She cleared her throat. "I've been looking at the little we have of their unencrypted messages. Hollio's Arabic is off, it reads like translation from English. He often refers to the hour of sunrise, but the time quoted corresponds to Eastern Standard time. 

"So?" Waller said impatiently. "The Caribbean also falls in that time zone." 

Alena gave her an apologetic little smile. The dragon lady scared the tits off her. Alena hurried on before fire emitted from Waller's nostrils.  
"On one occasion Hollio apologises for not responding to Abaiya sooner. A massive thunderstorm had disrupted communication lines. We checked with the meteorological agencies in both countries. On that day a storm of that magnitude occurred in one localised area only, the East Coast of America. 

"What? You mean this Hollio person is actually located in your country?" The incredulity in Meadows' voice vibrated through the entire group sitting on either side of the Atlantic, but connected virtually. 

"Yes, I believe there is a strong possibility that he lives here." 

"What are we waiting for?" Oliver was impatient. Alena, Curtis, you guys need to find him. Right now he is the most important link to Abaiya. We must use him get a handle on this." He was prepared to peel the guy like an orange if he necessary.

"If I can get a message though to Hollio and get him to respond, I think I can find him." Curtis said.

"Do it Curtis." This was the break Oliver was waiting for. "Use Abaiya's personal code, send a message to Hollio posing as a friend. Tell him Abaiya has been injured and you need to pass on an important message about the ship's payload. Tell him the success of the attack depends on getting a response." 

"Will he buy that?" someone said on the British side. "Communication on the ship is down, he probably knows that." 

"Well are there any other ideas how to get to Hollio?" Oliver asked. "This must be worth a try." 

"We'll let you get on with that Amanda. Good work team. We're signing off for the time being." Patrick Meadows sounded relieved this was one less problem on his plate. "Contact us as soon as you know something. Hopefully, we can save your agent's life."

"Hopefully, we'll have good news next time Patrick. Bye for now."

***

The entire team huddled around Curtis's desk waiting for a response from Hollio, except Oliver. He was pacing the Grid like a caged panther but his ears were alert to every single word spoken by the huddled group. 

Curtis was talking geek, a foreign language to Oliver, something about forcing a reverse IP reveal.

Then a shout. "We've got him."

Oliver hurried to join the group, his heart thumping in is chest. "Where is he Curtis?"

When a face popped up on the screen, everyone gasped. This terrorist sympathiser was home-grown.  
"His name is Peter Fortis, an IT consultant with a wife and 17-year old daughter." 

Curtis did a little jig, chuffed with his success.

"Give me an address Curtis," Oliver yelled. The room froze into silence.  
"My apologies Curtis, I didn't mean to yell at you but every second counts."

Lyla touched his arm. "It's okay Oliver, we'll get him home, safe and sound."

Oliver glanced at the address on the screen. The guy lived practically on their doorstep. On his bike it would take just over an hour. 

"Go, go," Lyla urged him, "I'll organise back-up, they'll meet you there."


	4. Useful Genius

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's news from the Monrovia Star and Oliver has a visitor.

**The Monrovia Star - 8hrs from UK Coastal Waters**

You, Captain. come with me," said Bullet Belt, pointing his gun at Diggle. "You too." He beckoned the Engineer, whose arm is grabbed by one of the hi-jackers. They are both hustled on deck into one of the ship's enormous metal containers, the size of a small room and locked in.

"They'll let us out some time won't they Captain. They won't go and leave us here."  
"I don't know Dimitri but I think we might be here for some time. Get some rest." 

Hours later the two men are roused from their private thoughts by clanging noises.  
"That's a crane." said the Engineer.

"They've stopped the ship," said Diggle. And that's two boats being lowered into the water. They're leaving. Look Dimitri, one of two things will happen now. They will either go and leave us here or they will kill us. If someone lets us out, I need to retake the ship if there's an opportunity. My employers would want me to try but to do that I'll need your help."

"What? I don't want to die Captain." Dimitri looked perplexed and a little scared.  
"Neither do I," John intoned. 

Both men jumped to their feet when they heard the container being unlocked. Abaiya appeared pointing his rifle at Diggle. He threw plasticuffs on the floor. "Put them on." He glared at both men. 

Diggle and Dimitri were marched back to the Control Room.

"Where are your men?"  
"You, sit and don't talk," Abaiya waved his rifle at Diggle.  
He threw a piece of paper at the Engineer. "Set a new course." 

Dimitri flinched and looked at Diggle, who nodded his head.  
The instruments indicated the reset put the Monrovia Star on a course for a port on the Southern Coast of England.

"What are you doing?" yelled Diggle, jumping to his feet. "From the moment you jammed the signals on my boat, do you think the authorities were not suspicious that a 30,000 ton cargo vessel suddenly vanished from the face of the earth?" 

"I told you not to speak." Abaiya rammed his rifle into Diggle's chest.

"Is this the height of your ambition my friend. Is this what you lived for, to be blown to smithereens off the British coast. For what purpose? What will that accomplish? That's not a martyr's death, that's an idiot's death." 

"I am not your friend Captain, and what do you know about dying for a cause."  
Abaiyi turned to the Engineer, "You, come here. Kneel."

The blood beneath the Engineer's skin retreated, his eyes entreated his Captain. 

Diggle took a step towards Abaiya. "No. Don't do this. You are a man of faith. What about your family? Do you have children? Is this how you honour your father's name? Will this make him proud of his son?"  
Diggle knew he was niggling the warlord, but he wanted to goad the man into revealing something. And he wasn't going down without a fight. 

"Shut your mouth. You know nothing about me," Abaiya shouted. "Now you are about to die you have plenty to say. Where was your voice when your corporations and your governments heaped injustice upon injustice on my people. When some of us starved to death, with no clean water, polluted by your oil wells; when children died, my children; when our lands were taken from us. Today you people will all learn a lesson you will not forget." 

The warlord turned to the Engineer and pulled back the trigger.

Diggle barreled into him with the full force of his body and knocked Abaiya off his feet. Gunshots ricocheted off the walls. Abaiya jumped to his feet, pointed the gun wildly at Diggle and fired. 

Ninja-like, Diggle curved his upper body out of the way, but the bullet grazed his shoulder. It was then that the Engineer tackled Abaiya, knocking him into Diggle. They both tumbled to the ground.

Diggle was hamstrung by the cuffs binding his wrists, it restricted his arms. There was only one other lethal weapon available to him. His thighs. He wrapped them around the warlord's neck and squeezed. The muscles in Diggle's neck bulged. His grip on Abaiya tightened and held until the man took his last gasping breath.

"Stop the ship," Diggle yelled to the Engineer.

With his wrists still bound, Diggle switched on the telecoms and activated the GPS signal. He tapped a number into the handset, repeated his personal protocols and asked for Lyla Michaels. 

***

"It's John," Curtis shouted. "The Monrovia Star is back on line."

The whole team encircled Lyla on the Grid, except Oliver who had just left to find Hollio. Lyla picked up the handset and placed it on loudspeaker. "We're all very glad to hear from you Alpha Two. What is your status."

"Abaiya is dead. I've stop the ship just outside the UK's security zone." 

"Good Job Alpha two. What about the other pirates?" 

"They must have left while we were locked in a container. I need to release the crew, search the ship and check that the explosives are not going to go off any time soon." 

"Are you hurt Alpha two?"  
"No Amanda, just a scratch. I'll be fine."  
"Good. Wait for the Royal Navy, do what needs to be done and get back here." 

"Roger that boss, I'm looking forward to being home. Over and out." 

"Lyla tell Oliver to stand down. The threat has been neutralized, and put a stop on the SWAT team. "Arrange a triple A surveillance protocol for Hollio then double it. We've just identified the most valuable intel source we've had in years. I'm going to call London." Amanda headed for her office. 

***

"Is it true, John is safe?" 

"Yes Oliver." They gave each other a hug. They both knew what was being expressed. "It's over. Catastrophe averted.  
"By the way, there's someone here to see you. She's been swept and scanned and is in one of the interrogation rooms." 

Oliver frowned. "Who is it?" 

"I'll give you one guess. She knew your protocol codes, and said she's here to return your $150," Lyla said with a grin. 

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Change those codes for me will you? Should have done that as soon as I got back." He left to find Felicity Smoak, his nemesis. His smile was fleeting. He shouldn't really call her that, her cute babbling amused him. 

The security guard jerked his head towards one of the rooms when Oliver approached him.

"I was happily basking in the thought that I'd never see you again Ms Smoak," he said walking into the room. Oliver stood directly in front of her, a table between them. He crossed his arms and gazed down at Felicity. 

Felicity grinned at his dour expression. "Oliver, you can't possibly mean that. I'm disappointed. I was expecting an expression of undiluted pleasure at seeing me again, grumpy bear. I hope you will allow that small intimacy. Um, the use of a pet name I mean, not the other intimacy, if you know what I mean. But I did work as a prostitue so...if you...."

"Ms Smoak!" Oliver's unexpectedly loud voice startled her. Felicity blinked, pushed her glasses back up her nose and returned his gaze.

Oliver stared at her, really seeing her for the first time. Her blond hair, devoid of pink, was sleek, gleaming and fastened in a high pony tail. Eyebrow stud was gone. The glasses were new, she didn't have them on the ship, nor her industrial piercing, at least he hadn't noticed. And her pouty pink lips. Nice shape. He continued to stare until she gave a small cough. 

"I don't have time for this Ms Smoak" he said, hastily bringing his thoughts back to the issue at hand. "So what do you want?"

"I have a present for you." She put a folder down on the table in front of him.  
Oliver cocked his head to one side, a quizzical expression on his face. 

"Do you remember the man who accompanied Abaiya to the hostage room? He had black hair and a heavy moustache. He wore a tropical suit and stood out like a sore thumb." 

"What about him?"

"He is Javier Cortez, a design engineer and ship builder. He has South African nationality, no doubt acquired as part of his disguise. He works with the drug cartels designing new ways to transport their wares. He is very secretive and avoids publicity like the plague." Felicity pushed a photograph in front of Oliver.

"You must have searched through quite a few photos to find this." 

"Twelve thousand to be exact. And during the flight coming here."  
Oliver stared at her, his brow wrinkling. "How do you know so much about him if he's so secretive." 

"That's what I do Oliver. It's my super power. I'm considered a genius in certain places." His lips twitched momentarily, then he was scowling at her again. "Besides, it was time well spent because I got to see you again."

He ignored her, sat down and began to browse through the file.

"I thought it odd that a guy like Cortez, a rich businessman would be on a cargo ship like the Monrovia Star, with a warlord. So I dug deeper, and look what I found." She pushed another photo towards him.

"What are they?"

"Remotely operated submersibles that can travel fast and low. It's totally undetectable by radar and can carry twenty tons of cocaine or," she paused for effect, "twenty tons of explosives."

Oliver's head shot up. Now she had his undivided attention but he was puzzled. "My colleague overpowered Abaiya. He's dead, it's over, the threat has been neutralized." 

"Hmmm" she hummed, unconvinced. "Seriously Oliver? I find your Agency's complacency disturbing."

He smiled. Ms Smoak was something else. 

_Holy Crap! He's even more beautiful when he smiles. I wonder why he is so grumpy all the time. Probably constipated or something._

"I'm sorry you feel like that Ms Smoak. What can I tell you. The threat is over. But that is not to say this isn't interesting. I'd like to know why Cortez was on the boat and where he is now." His penetrating blues pinned her. Oliver folded his arms again. "Okay Ms Smoak I'm getting the strongest vibe that you want something. What is it?

"I'd Iike to meet with Amanda Waller." 

Oliver compressed his lips and narrowed his eyes. He considered her request. What was little Ms Genius up to now? "Why? What do you want to tell her you can't tell me?" 

"I want to personally impress upon her the usefulness of geniuses among spooks." 

His lips twitched. "Okay."  
He wasn't certain Waller would entertain that. But he owed her. After all, she'd been really helpful to the mission. At least Waller should thank her.

"Seriously? You will?" 

"Sure. How did you find me by the way, even with my protocols, A.R.G.U.S is an inconspicuous and contained agency. Very few people know we even exist."

"I told you. I have super powers and I am a genius. Pay attention Oliver."

He nodded and compressed his lips again. This woman had hidden depth. He wondered what else there was to discover beneath that demure college-librarian exterior, and her incessant babbling, which he had to admit could be darn cute. But he didn't totally trust her.

Oliver stood up and replaced his chair. "Come on, I'll take you to see Waller." 

When they were both at the door, he leaned in and whispered in her ear. "You know your use of my protocols was illegal, I could have you thrown in jail." 

"You won't because you find me adorable. Admit it." 

Oliver shook his head. Against his will, his body stirred. 

**

Felicity sat outside what she assumed was ARGUS's inner sanctum, the Grid, looking in on the small team that existed within a much larger one. Six people, including the agent they left on the Monrovia Star, in a glass bubble surrounded by state of the art tech. Obviously a sound-proofed and invincible bubble because for one, she couldn't hear a damn thing and she doubted whether a small missile would penetrate. This must be the engine room of ARGUS.

She watched Oliver in his usual stance, arms crossed, talking to the omnipotent Amanda Waller. She wondered what he was telling her. 

A few minutes later Waller's office door opened, and handsome was coming in her direction.

"Waller will see you now." He held the door into the bubble open for her. "Just go right in."

Felicity both admired Amanda Waller and was in awe of her. She'd made it to the top in her chosen field. Her agency was the envy of others because of the level of autonomy it enjoyed, and it's reputation for effectiveness on the front line of the human shield that protected the country. Waller's ruthlessness was legendary within a small tight circle. 

"Come in Ms Smoak, have a seat.  
"First let me thank you for the support you gave the team aboard the Monrovia. Oliver tells me you were quite fearless." 

_Goodness, handsome put in a good word for me._

"Thank you Ms Waller. I appreciate that, but I was on the job. What happened on the Monrovia Star was not an unfamiliar scenario.  
And thank you for agreeing to see me. You don't remember me do you?"

"Indeed I do Ms Smoak. An extremely impressive candidate, straight out of MIT with a double masters. Unfortunately you scared some panel members. They considered you impulsive, arrogant with a tendency towards non-compliance. 

"Ouch. I certainly ruffled some feathers didn't I." 

Waller shrugged. "I disagreed. You had more cojones than the lot of them put together."  
Felicity grinned. She'd probably say the same about Waller, the only woman on the Recruitment panel.

"So what have you been up to in the intervening years? "

"I joined the private sector, mostly freelancing. I travelled the world, South America, Middle East, Africa, and earned a lot of money.

Waller leaned forward on her desk, tented her fingers beneath her chin and scrutinized the young woman. "So now you wish to retire into public service."

"I wouldn't put it quite like that but the private sector has become murky and filled with amateurs. I want to be clean. It's time to move on."

"So why are you here? Don't tell me you want to clean those grubby hands of yours in my agency, the complacency of which disturbs you." 

_Enough with the BS Amanda, your hands are probably a lot grubbier than mine._

"So he told you?"  
"Yes, Oliver told me about Mr Cortez and the submersibles." 

"I just find it too much of a coincidence that the designer of that type of underwater craft would be on a ship carrying a large amount of explosives, and in the company of a known terrorist. It deserves further attention." 

"I don't disagree Ms Smoak and Oliver will look into Mr Cortez and his activities. But the Monrovia Star and its payload is currently stationary in the North Atlantic awaiting the arrival of the Royal Navy. Aircraft are already circling overhead.  
"So, back to you Ms Smoak. Why did you want to see me?"

"I'd like to reapply to the Agency."

"I see. Your qualifications are certainly impressive and I expect your knowledge of local customs around the world would make you a valuable asset to this Agency. I gather from Oliver you are a cool customer under pressure and you think on your feet, but we simply do not have an opening right now." 

_Wow handsome, you did give me a glowing reference. I knew you liked me._

"I would however like to utilize your skills on an ad hoc basis. That means you would be on the Agency's list of approved operatives on whom we call from time to time for specific operations. You'll have to go through the whole vetting process again. After which, if successful, I'll invite you for an informal with the team. Quality of relationships are as important as academic qualifications and experience. There are no prima donnas here. Team is the word.

_Yeah. You mean you're the only Queen Bee among the drones._

"Think about it Ms Smoak and let me know if that would be acceptable." 

"There's nothing to think about Ms Waller, I accept." She had independent income plus she'd made enough money to take at much time off work as she needed. But she wasn't really a lady of leisure and she loved the work she'd been doing until the whole environment got too corrupt. So this arrangement will work fine. 

"Good. Lyla Michaels will send you all the necessary documentation and we'll take it from there." 

Waller looked up when her office door opened. "What is it Oliver?"  
"We have a problem." 

"Thank you for coming in Ms Smoak. I think we're done here. Someone will show you out." 

"Thank you Ms Waller, I am so..." Felicity closed her mouth. Amanda Waller had already sailed past Oliver, who was waiting to usher her out. 

"Alena, please show Ms Smoak out." Oliver nodded in her direction and then headed towards the other members of the team. 

Felicity took a last glance at the Grid over her shoulder, as she was being shown out. The engine was getting into gear and moving on to the next terror threat. Hopefully, one day she would join them in the bubble.

The team assembled around Lyla. "Amanda it's John, he says the explosives are gone." She placed the handset on loudspeaker.

"Talk to me Alpha Two. What do you mean the explosives are gone. Gone where? When?" Waller was on the verge of apoplexy. She thought they had this thing handled. 

"I don't know Amanda. All I can tell you is they are no longer here. The hi-jackers must have off-loaded the explosives when they left. A British port was never their target, it's something else." 

Waller and Oliver looked at each other. "The submersibles. Alena get Felicity Smoak back here. Now." Oliver said loudly. 


	5. Hollio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Felicity go after Hollio. Once again she proves to be an effective partner alongside him.
> 
> Then Felicity makes an outrageous move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope the dialogue won't prove difficult to follow at the beginning of this chapter when there's a 7-way conversation between team A.R.G.U.S and London. If there is no indication of who is talking, it should be clear a) by what's being said or b) by the person who spoke before or after. 
> 
> **NOTE - Lyla's communication remotely with the team in the field will be in **bold.**

"You really think Ms Smoak has something to contribute here Oliver?" 

"She knows more about submersibles than anyone on the Grid. I'd certainly not heard of them until today." 

"Mr Holt," Waller clicked her fingers, "get Patrick Meadows on screen now. I don't care whether he is with the Prime Minister or the Queen of England. This is a Code Black terror alert." 

"Ms Smoak." Oliver gestured for her to come forward as she entered the Grid. "Please, we need your help, again," he said with a wry little smile. 

"Of course, how can I help?"

"The explosives are no longer onboard the Monrovia Star, and I'm thinking submersibles. They must have been stored in with the explosives or in another container. Someone at the Port Authority must have taken a bribe to allow a sealed container to be loaded on board ship." 

"Can I talk to your agent?"

"Amanda what the hell is going on?" Patrick Meadow's voice boomed out of the screen on the wall. "I was with the Home Secretary when we were told there is a Code Black terror alert." 

"We have a problem Patrick. A big one. The explosives on the Monrovia Star were off-loaded when my agent was locked in a container. He's only now discovered that." 

"Good god. So the target was never a naval port." 

"That's what we now believe, but a port could still be a target by another means. Patrick, let me introduce Ms Smoak, a private security contractor who was on the Monrovia and escaped with Oliver. She knows how submersibles work and believes they could be used to carry the explosives. She is about to check in with John Diggle. Go ahead Ms Smoak." 

"Alpha 2 did the boat stop at any point after we left?" 

"Yes, when we were locked in the container. We heard the crane then two boats being dropped in the water. I assumed it was the pirates leaving in lifeboats but it could have been your submersibles. Thinking about it now, they would have used the crane to lift them into the water." 

Patrick Meadows ran his hand through grey streaked hair. He hadn't slept for days, ever since discovering that there were 30 plus tons of explosives heading to a British port. "Ms Smoak how far can these submersibles travel?" 

"About five to six hundred miles at about 40 knots, they're undetectable by radar." 

"Christ Amanda, these things could hit anywhere." 

"I know Patrick. Alpha 2 did Abaiya or any of his henchmen say anything that would give us a clue?"

"He went on a rant about his country being wronged by corporations and governments. He might be trying to hit two birds with one stone." 

"Thanks Alpha 2, there's nothing further you can do from there, just carry on with the earlier plan and get back as soon as you can."

"Copy that. Over and out."

"Amanda from what your agent said, they want to strike at the very heart of British power. That would be the City of London, our financial centre, and the seat of Government, all accessible via the River Thames. Ms Smoak how big are these submersibles?" 

"I've only seen illustrations of them, but I'd say they're the size of an aerodynamic-shaped rowing boat." 

"That would get through the Thames Barrier if Sentinel, the Defence system was down." Meadows turned to his assistance. "Joanna alert the Thames Barrier, ask them to do an immediate check on Sentinel, a Code Black priority." 

"According to my estimates, travelling at 40 knots from the time Alpha 2 was released from the container, the submersibles will be approaching the mouth of the river in less than two hours." Oliver said.

"Sentinel is down Patrick. It went down this morning, engineers are working on it now," Joanna informed her boss.

"Why am I only hearing about this now. Sentinel has only ever been down for annual checks or essential repairs. Christ, that means we can't put a missile lock on the Barrier. This is Hollio, he's hacked into our system."

Waller turned to Oliver. "You need to get to Hollio and stop him. Take Ms Smoak with you and get wired so we all can track what's happening. Ms Smoak please sign our approved operative's agreement before you leave. And hurry Oliver, this is life or death." 

"On my way."

"Lyla they need SWAT back-up. Top priority."  
"Already on it boss."

"Patrick just in case things don't work out at this end you may have to take extraordinary measures."

"I've been having nightmares about this whole thing for days, even after we thought the threat had been averted. Code Black activates an evacuation process and other civil contingencies but there's so little time. My best hope is that Oliver can stop this before we have to activate the EMP Protocol." 

"Do what you need to Patrick. We will be in contact with Oliver and Ms Smoak within the hour. See you then." 

"What's the EMP Protocol," Lyla asked once Meadows' screen had gone dark. 

"After 9/11 many countries put various measures of last resort in place. London has Electro-Magnetic Pulse bombs which will take out everything electrical within a certain radius, including aircraft. Even with restricted flight paths that avoid central London, I'd hate to be in Patrick's shoes right now." 

"So, much depends on Oliver and Felicity Smoak then." 

"Exactly. I need to make some calls, let me know when they're online."

***

The SWAT Commander signalled to Oliver that the house had been surrounded and they should follow him inside. 

The Target, identified as Peter Fortis aka Hollio, was quickly apprehended in the kitchen with his wife. The man was immediately pinned to the ground and surrounded by SWAT. "Get him to his feet," instructed Oliver. "Turn Sentinel back on now," he shouted close to the man's face, amid screams from the woman. 

"Sentinel? I don't know what you're talking about. Please don't do this...my wife ..."  
"Who is Hollio? Are you Hollio?"  
"Please, this is a mistake. I don't know what you're talking about, please..."

Leaving Oliver to deal with the target, Felicity followed a 3-man SWAT team upstairs. She immediately spotted the young girl in her room surrounded by tech, fingers moving furiously across the keyboard. "She's upstairs Alpha One," Felicity shouted. "Hollio is up here."

The SWAT team immediately invaded the room. Oliver followed within seconds. His eyes fastened on a computer screen with a schematic diagram depicting the thick blue wavy line of the main waterway winding through the City of London. The teenager was controlling Sentinel, the defence system and the submersibles from her bedroom. 

**Alpha One the Thames Barrier is reporting secondary sensors on the riverbed detecting submersibles about ten minutes away, we must get Sentinel back up now.**

Oliver looked at the young girl, there was a smirk on her face. "You can't stop it." 

"But you can. Re-activate Sentinel and stop the submersibles. Do it now," Oliver shouted in her face. She stared at the gun in his hand and then looked up at him like she was daring him.

He grabbed her. "Don't think because you're a teenage girl I won't shoot you." 

The defiant look in her eyes told him she didn't believe him and wasn't going to budge.  
Jesus, she was younger than Thea.  
She was right of course. He couldn't kill her, not a child. Neither would that solve the problem since she was the only person who could stop the submersibles in time.

"She wants to be a martyr Alpha One," Felicity said.

"Get her parents up here," Oliver told the SWAT Commander.

"No," said Felicity. "Just the mother, leave the father downstairs." Oliver nodded assent to the Commander, he was going to trust Smoak's instincts. 

The SWAT commander half dragged the terrified woman into the room and prodded her on to her knees. Felicity stepped behind the sobbing woman and placed her gun at the base of her neck. She looked at the young girl who was now staring at her, wild eyed. 

"You're absolutely right, my colleague won't shoot you, but I _will_ shoot your mom unless you stop the programme running on your computer.

_By everything I hold sacred make this stupid girl believe me._

The woman began pleading with her daughter in a voice hysterical with terror. She used a language neither Felicity nor Oliver understood, before lapsing back into English. "Nila please, please do it for me, I don't want to die."  
When Felicity pulled the trigger on her gun, the young girl screamed. "No, no. I'll do it. Don't kill my mom." She sobbed while tapping frantically on the keyboard, until the diagram disappeared from the screen. 

**Alpha One the submersibles have now passed through the Barrier, six minutes left to target.**

Felicity scrambled quickly to rip every wire out of the computer. "SWAT Commander get one of your men to shut off the main electricity supply to the house in case she's set up a fail safe trigger mechanism. 

"Then take them away, and all this equipment," added Oliver. 

"Alpha One to base. Threat neutralized. Repeat threat neutralized. Target apprehended. Over. 

"Message received and understood Alpha One. Over and out." 

***

Everyone had gone home leaving Waller and Oliver on the Grid. 

"You saved Meadows' bacon today. Poor man, he was fully gray by the time he heard you say threat neutralized with just minutes to go before he'd be forced to push the button. He insisted on giving you up to the last few seconds if need be. He obviously thinks very highly of you." 

"He should thank Felicity Smoak. She is the one who understood the girl's psyche. She used the undoubtedly deep emotional connection a dual heritage daughter like Nila Fortis is likely to have with a woman of colour, her own mother. The teenager saw her mom as an oppressed minority being threatened by a powerful enemy. Dad was not around to help them and in that moment the teenager switched and became mom's sole protector. She became a child about to lose her mom.  
Smoak was just awesome. She said it was a lucky guess but she has great instincts." 

"Well Nila Fortis will spend the majority of her life in a federal prison. Who'd have children in this day and age, not me," Waller affirmed. 

"I'm with you there. I simply don't understand why one so young and smart would surround herself with so much darkness".

"It's the young ones who are most easily indoctrinated." 

Oliver's mind flitted back to Lian Yu. He was not much older than Nila Fortis when he fell into the clutches of evil. In a way he and the teenager were both serving a life sentence for the stupidity of youth. 

"Moving forward Oliver, I'd like to offer Ms Smoak a job. We need different kinds of people and skillsets here. Since you know her better than the rest of us, will you tell her?" 

"I'd prefer if Lyla did it." 

"Why? I thought you'd be happy about it since the two of you work so well together."

"I don't want to deny her an opportunity here, if that's what she wants."

"But?" Waller queried.

"There's something niggling at me. I can't put my finger on it yet. I want to do some further digging into her background." 

"If there's anything we should be aware of, it will show up in the vetting Oliver."  
He shrugged.

"Well it's been a long day. I'm going home. See you tomorrow."

"Goodnight Amanda." 

***

Oliver was restless and on edge. It had been a close shave today. It was the first time he'd entered a residential home and threatened a family. He had protected one, but had never been the aggressor. It was part of the job but it didn't sit well with him. 

He startled when the buzzer sounded. What the hell? No one ever came to his home, except Digg and Lyla then only by invitation. In the past he'd toyed with the idea of having Vivienne round for private sessions but promptly dismissed the idea. He really didn't want a sex partner coming to his home.

Oliver was obsessive, if not paranoid about his privacy and personal safety. The entire building turned into a safe house at the press of a button. In the highly unlikely event that the external defences were breached, he had an internal safe-room. 

He moved languidly towards the image on camera. Oliver groaned. What did she want now? Did they not say goodnight just an hour or so ago.

He stood still for several minutes watching her, hoping she would go away. But no, Ms Smoak was on a mission. She pressed the buzzer again, insistently this time, her upturned face captured by the camera.  
She had discarded the glasses and her pale blond hair tumbled around her shoulders; it shimmered beneath the light. He didn't want to know how she knew where he lived.

Felicity peered up at the camera. She knew he was there. She was about to buzz again for a third time when the door clunked opened, releasing three locks by the sounds of it. She entered tentatively expecting to find his glowering face. When she closed the door three bolts automatically slotted into place. Jeez, why was he living in Fort Knox?

Felicity stepped into a very spacious entrance, a semi circle with one straight wall. Unusual. Inlaid ceiling lights brightened the area like daylight. The entrance was painted in a warm golden harvest shade; colourful and framed abstract prints adorned the walls. The spiral staircase winding it's way upwards was painted in the same colour and blended in. The straight wall behind the staircase was patterned with finely drawn Egyptian hieroglyphics. 

Nice. Oliver Jensen apparently had exquisite taste. But where was he?

Felicity hesitated. She expected him to at least greet her at the door, she was a guest after all. But why would she expect anything else from Grumpy Bear. He'd already told her wasn't a gentleman. But this had nothing to do with being gentlemanly it was just what people did. It is customary to greet your guests at the door. Granted he wasn't expecting her but she was still a guest. 

She fumed at his rudeness but followed the staircase upwards because there was no where else to go. She stepped into a breath-taking open-plan space decorated in the same harvest gold as below. Maybe a shade paler.  
A kitchen-diner and living space boasted top of the range fixtures and fittings. A normal staircase at the far end of the spacious living area led to an upper level. A bank of windows looked out on woodlands. Minimalist but still warm and welcoming. 

He was seated bare-foot on a deep brown leather sofa dressed in sweats and a white tee, holding a glass of liquid, a warm gold colour, probably whiskey. His gaze was fixed on her, a sardonic expression on his face.  
Felicity forced herself to not fidget. She'd taken a bold step, but nothing ventured, nothing gained was her motto. 

She watched him watching her.  
"Are you going to say something?"

"I'm beginning to think you're stalking me Ms Smoak. What are you doing here?" 

"Why did you let me in?"  
"You looked like a waif and stray so I took pity on you."  
"You have a heart then. Are you going to follow up by inviting me to sit down and offer me something to drink?"

"No."  
"Why not?"  
"Because I didn't invite you. I'm asking again, why are you here?"

"Be nice Oliver, I'm a stranger in town with no friends and I was feeling lonely, so I'm reaching out to a kind and friendly work colleague. Actually you're neither kind nor friendly. Just a grumpy bear." 

"So what do you want from me?" 

_Ah handsome, that is such a good question._

"Is it Ms Smoak? So what's the answer?"

Felicity closed her eyes and slapped the heel of her hand against her forehead. She'd done it again.  
"Did you know that being nice doesn't hurt? I'd just like to get to know you. After all, we are going to be work colleagues, and I'll be watching over you and protecting your butt so you should get to know me. Thank you for putting in a good word for me with Waller by the way." She grinned at him.

Something shifted in his eyes. There was no hint of hostility or irritability. She knew he was deliberately pushing her. There might even be a hint of a smile on his face. She pounced on it. "I think that was an almost smile. So much nicer than your Grumpy bear. And FYI, I'm tired of standing so I'm going to sit down."  
Felicity marched up to the sofa and plonked herself right next to him. 

Oliver turned his head and stared at her for stretched minutes. She returned his unflinching gaze. His face finally broke into a smile. The breath caught in her throat. He was damn gorgeous. She'd never noticed his dimple before. That's because you've never seen him smile before Smoak. 

"You're outrageous Ms Smoak and a regular pain in the ass."  
"I know. Now will you offer me a drink?"  
Oliver shook his head and got up. "What do you want?"  
"Wine, red."

She followed him to the kitchen area and watched him open a cupboard which was really a mini wine cellar. He removed a bottle, found a glass, poured and passed it to her.

"Thank you." Felicity inhaled. "Mmmm. Slightly fruity, with notes of herbal spice, I remember it well." She took a sip. "A Chilean Carménère. I'm impressed Oliver you have good taste in wine for a spook." 

"I'll take that as a compliment Ms Smoak. I expect a genius like you to know all about good wine. Have you been to Chile?" 

"Umm, when I was much younger and a tad stupid. But you know I've worked all over South America Oliver. I'm pretty sure you've read my file." 

He'd hadn't actually but that's his plan, and much more.

Felicity turned and walked away from him. "Have you lived here long?" She quickly changed the subject.

"About three years." Oliver watched her retreating back. He'd caught the slight shift in her demeanour when he asked about Chile. The enigmatic Ms Smoak has secrets.  
He was curious about why she had turned up on his doorstep, and why he'd let her in. 

Oliver stayed where he was and poured some more single malt into his glass. "So, you're throwing over the private sector in favour of dedicated service to your country." 

"Yeah, but I've already had that conversation with the boss lady and would prefer to talk about other things."  
"Such as?"  
"Such as, you know, how alike we are."  
"I hadn't noticed." 

"Well let me give you a clue." She stared at him and took a mouthful of her wine. "Firstly, we both have a dark empty void inside us, we've done things that most people would be mortally ashamed of, not because we're bad people but because we got caught while still naïve.  
"People can find themselves in a bad place with bad people and have to do terrible things to survive. That leaves an indelible stain on the psyche and a scar on the soul.  
You witnessed my dark side on the Monrovia Star when those hi-jackers sentenced us to death. I had no choice but to do what I did. It was either live or die, them or me." 

She watched him, observing his stillness. It screamed danger. But that was one of the things she found attractive about him.

"Go on," he said. 

"Those experiences leave us with an insatiable need to obliterate our mind and it's knowledge of our deeds. Some people take opiates to achieve that, others by satisfying dark sexual desires. You, Oliver, like to dominate and be in control; I like to be dominated but I'm not a submissive, I won't call you 'sir' and I love orgasms, plenty of them, so no denial. 

Oliver choked on the whiskey suddenly diverted down his windpipe. His eyes watered and his nostril's flared; he coughed. What did she just say? Holy shit. What was this woman on? What did she know about him? Was he hearing right? Had she just confessed, to what? Her criminality? And then propositioned him.

Oliver tried to swallow but his mouth was dry. He was already hardening. He took another glug of whiskey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll just leave that sitting there to marinate


	6. Dark Desire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's all about gratification.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The tags, the tags. A reminder about the tags. It's explicit guys.

Felicity watched him over the rim of her wine glass, assessing his reaction to her words.  
"You and I are the same Oliver. Kindred spirits. My body recognises you and responds to you. It might be all that macho controlling stuff you do. I object to it in the workplace, but people are not one-dimensional, right? There is another side to me that needs expression. 

"I imagine sex is the main way you unwind and relax after one of your missions, me too. Now that the Monrovia Star affair is over, I'm in desperate need of relaxation. I imagine you are too.

"I usually get what I want Oliver and I've wanted you from the moment I spotted you at the Toamasina dockside." That day she wished she hadn't been undercover as a prostitute. Her disguise had been perfect, even he believed it.

Still a little stunned by her unabashed revelation, Oliver wasn't sure he knew how to respond to Felicity Smoak. He felt a little invaded by her assertiveness and wasn't sure he was ready to open himself up to her, not even in the slightest way. But his body had other ideas.

He'd previously brushed off or ignored her playful advances and earlier today when his body was stirred by her he had quickly quashed it. And here it was again tonight. Not only was his body ready, her words conjured up sinful images of what he'd like to do to her and with her.

At this point in his life sex had become a transaction. You gave pleasure and took pleasure. That's it. A large part of it was controlling and delaying his sex partner's gratification as well as his own. The longer it took the greater the ultimate satisfaction. 

He didn't do casual sex. He didn't do intimate and cuddly either, but preferred a regular sex partner. The idea gave rise to wry amusement. He supposed, in some twisted way, it could be viewed as atonement for how he'd been in the past, especially with Laurel.   
Now his needs required satisfaction, just like she said, through the indulgence of dark sexual desires, a source of intense gratification. No emotions involved. Just pure carnal pleasure. It stilled his mind in the moment; it acted as counterbalance to the nightmares that constantly plagued him. 

He remembered his first sight of her at Toamasina docks too - a prostitute with her pimp, as he thought her at the time. Then she became the pesky private contractor, pushy and sure of herself. A woman who could shoot with accurate aim and steady hands, who executed the men who would probably have raped her, before slitting her throat and throwing her body overboard. 

Waller was right, they did work well together. Today she had stepped into the gap in his knowledge to achieve a successful outcome of the mission. She had a level of emotional intelligence he couldn't even aspire to. It was probably for the best given what his job entailed. 

Not once on the occasions they'd spent in each other's company, did he imagine she had the same sexual proclivities as his own. He'd never met a woman who talked so candidly about her sexual needs.

It excited him. _She_ excited him. 

The silence in the room was deafening. When Felicity couldn't take it any more, she prodded him. "What's the matter Oliver? Cat's got your tongue? I always ask for what I want. Over to you Grumpy Bear. What do you want? Do you not find me attractive?" 

"You are extremely attractive Ms Smoak, perhaps even more than you realise."

Felicity rose from her perch on the couch and walked slowly towards him until they were face to face. He was leaning back against the island, legs crossed at the ankles and arms folded over his chest.

He stared intently at her before picking up his glass and gulping down the last of his single malt. He spread his arms out along the counter. "In this house I make the rules Ms Smoak. You _will_ call me Sir, and I may or may not deny you orgasms, it's my choice.  
"Understood?"

"Yes Sir."

"Now take off your clothes."

Felicity took her time unbuttoning her maroon coloured silk blouse, allowing it to drape off her shoulders. Sweet lord. His breath stuttered and his eyes widened lustfully as he watched the blouse slip off her body and fall to the floor revealing lush perky breasts, unencumbered by a bra, her upturned nipples circled by dusky pink aureolas.

He continued watching as she slowly unzipped the pale grey pencil skirt, leisurely pushing it over her hips, wriggling a little, allowing it to fall to her ankles. She stepped away from the item of clothing and kicking it aside.

She stood before him in sheer thongs that concealed nothing, and her black high heel pumps.

"Fuck," Oliver muttered under his breath, his eyes glued to the vision before him. "Leave the thongs and shoes on."

The fire flared in every one of her erogenous zones at the unquenched lust registered in his tone. Her nipples pebbled beneath his gaze.

“You're stunning Ms Smoak," Oliver muttered, "so fucking beautiful."

"Thank you Sir."  
His dick stirred at her at words.

"Come here," he said softly.

She went closer until she felt his breath on her face. His hands cupped her breasts, a thumb circling each nipple while he watched her. He pinched those tiny protruding orbs and she cried out in unmuted desire. He took one into his mouth and laved it with his tongue before sucking hard. He gave the other the same treatment. She moaned loudly and he claimed her mouth in a deep devouring kiss. She returned his ardour and he opened to her insistent tongue.

His hands moved from her breasts to grasp her ass cheeks, a finger press hard against her puckered hole, and she whimpered. He pulled her flush against him. His cock hard up against her belly, while her naked breasts pressed into his taut muscled chest. He ended the kiss, his hands released her body and he pulled away. Oliver took in her flushed body, and her heaving chest. Her eyes were wide and dark, her pupils blown, she stared mutely up at him. 

"On your knees Ms Smoak."

Felicity went down on her knees, her fingers tugged at the ties on the waistband of his sweats. She pushed them over his hips and down his thighs, taking his boxers too. She gasped at his manhood and looked up expecting to see a smirk on his face. He simply raised an eyebrow but his lips twitched.

Felicity smiled up at him as she used his discarded sweats as padding for her knees.

Holding his balls in her hand, she heard his sharp intake of breath as she licked a line up his cock, from the base to the swollen tip. Oliver's jaws clenched and his hands grabbed the edge of the island. Felicity pumped him hard and smudged her thumb over his oozing tip before taking him into her mouth, delighting in his groan, as he surrendered to her touch.

She sucked him enthusiastically, moving her fisted hand up and down his length, listening to his sounds of pleasure until he suddenly grasped a handful of her hair and pulled her head away from his body. "That's enough Ms Smoak."  
He removed her hands off his body and pulled her up off the floor. His mouth plundered hers, as he lifted her up, turned and laid her on the countertop. Felicity gasped as her naked flesh pressed into the cold marble.

Oliver pulled her thighs parts, opening her up to his gaze. He bent his head and with his teeth yanked off the flimsy piece of nothingness that pretended to conceal her jewel. She felt his warm breath right at her core, and her heart drummed madly with anticipation.

When he placed her legs over his shoulders she felt the blood pulsing in her veins. Oh god, she could hardly breathe. Her juices were already oozing. 

Felicity mewled when his tongue finally touched her, laving a path from her opening to her nub, then licked between her fold. "Oooh" she whimpered, when his wet mouth clamped on to her sex. She tried to undulate her hips but he gripped her body and held her still.

She fisted his hair, pulling him closer. He responded with a growl and pulled her nub into his mouth and sucked hard before lapping at her inner lips. Felicity moaned loudly and came when his fingers pulled on her clit and his tongue pierced her entrance.  
She cried out at the intensity of feeling as he ate her out making ravenous and obscene noises, letting his tongue penetrate her again and again.

Oliver withdrew his mouth from her body, replacing his tongue with two fingers and pumped her slowly, rhythmically until his fingers curled and bushed against her secret inner zone. He bit her thigh, and she came again with a loud moan, her juices trickling down his fingers.

"My, my Ms Smoak. You are in full flow tonight." he said licking his fingers.  
She watched him through heavy-lidded eyes. "Would you like some more?"  
"Yes, please."  
"Yes please what."  
"Yes please Sir."

Oliver pulled her up into his arms and moved with her across the room. She clung to him and burrowed her face in his chest. She heard a door open then she was laid a bed.  
"Stay he said. "Don't move."  
She watched him enter what must be a bathroom and return. 

"I want you sideways on all fours. Now, Ms Smoak."  
Grinning, Felicity arranged herself according to his bidding. "You mean like this?"  
"Did you say something Ms Smoak?"  
"Sorry Sir. Did you mean like this Sir?" 

He adjusted her, pulling her body closer to the edge of the bed, where he stood directly behind her.  
Oliver parted her folds from behind and stroked between her lips. "You're so wet Ms Smoak."  
"Yes Sir," she whimpered. She wanted him inside her so badly.

Oliver continued to stroke her repeatedly, slowly, occasionally tweaking her clit. The room was silent except for the muted noises of his fingers in her wetness. Oliver took his time, tantalizing her entrance and listening to her whimpers and moans. She was so fucking sexy. His eyes fastened on where her body pulsed beneath his attention, his dick getting harder by the minute. "Does this feel nice Ms Smoak."

Oh dear god yes, it was wonderful. But the waiting was excruciating, her body was on the point of eruption.

"I didn't hear you Miss Smoak."  
"Yes, oh god yes, I need more Oliver."

Felicity gasped and jerk forward on the bed when a resounding slap landed on her ass, followed immediately by two fingers pushed roughly inside of her. Felicity moaned loudly, her pleasure spiked, a little drool escaped from between her lips.

"You will call me Sir, and you will take what I give you Ms Smoak, when I want to give it to you.  
"Is that understood?"

"Yes Sir. Understood."  
Felicity groaned long and low, her hips undulated and a flush spread all over her skin. He had magical fingers, but god she needed more. Right now.

"I see you need some training Ms Smoak," he said. Still pumping her, he placed small open-mouthed kisses on her butt.  
"Yes Sir," she whimpered. His cock twitched, and he smiled at her continuing submissiveness, demanded and so easily given. She needed to know who was in control.

Oliver gripped her ass and pulled her cheeks apart, exposing more of her swollen wet pussy to his gaze. "You're very sexy Ms Smoak." 

In response Felicity spread her legs as far as she could and curved her ass up to give him more access, which he took advantage of without hesitation. His greedy mouth latched on to her again and he feasted, enjoying her moans and curses.

Oliver held her in place with one hand, while he used his teeth to open the foil container and fitted the condom, in an obviously practised and perfected move. 

He pulled her ass flush against his body and held her there.  
"Tell me what you want Ms Smoak."  
"I want you to fuck me, please Sir." 

Oliver connected the swollen head of his dick with her entrance and pushed in slowly until he was just inside her. He stayed there for a moment before sliding smoothly into her hot wet heat. He stilled, shuddering along with her at the sight of where his dick split her open. "Oh god," she moaned. 

"You're so fucking tight Ms Smoak." He groaned as he began to thrust into her with vigour, his hands gripping her hips.  
Oliver place an arm around her pelvic area, keeping her body firmly against him as he fucked her. His other hand reached to massage her breast and rolled her nipple, while he thrust relentlelssy in and out of her. Felicity's moans and cries filled the room.

He reveled in her cries and shouts of pleasure. They spurred him on. His thrusts never faltered, keeping to a steady rhythmic flow as his plunged inside of her over and again until she cried out his name. Her arms collapsed on to the bed no longer able to support her upper body. Her head and shoulders were now flush with the mattress. It gave him even greater access to her body.

His cock plunged deeper inside her; he couldn't get enough of her. His eyes closed and he whispered her name as he lost himself in her welcoming depth. Her walls gripped him like a vice and Oliver shouted out. His hand left her breast to rub and pinch her clit.  
Felicity's scream bounced off the walls and reverberated around her body as she climaxed. He fucked her through her release, and finally spilled his own into the condom.

His body partially collapsed on top of hers, while his breathe rasped out through parted lips.  
Fuck. Sex with her was...he couldn't even find the right superlative. He could become addicted, because this...this was something else, probably the best he'd ever had. He could go another round with her right now.

Oliver rolled fully off her, and his hand came to rest on her prone body. He closed his eyes, listening to the pattern of her breathing. After long minutes of savouring a sense of peace and quietude, he checked on her. "Are you okay?"

"Mmmm. More than okay."  
"That was worth waiting for Grumpy Bear, but I'm hungry now."

Oliver laughed. Only Smoak.

She looked over at him. So handsome actually laughs. It was a nice sound and brought out an adorable dimple she'd never noticed before, not that she had been around when he laughed in the past.

"You're asking to be punished Ms Smoak, if you keep calling me Grumpy Bear," he said leaving the bed and heading to the bathroom.

"Can we get some take away or something. I'm hungry," Felicity whined when Oliver came back into the bedroom.

"I have a better idea. Why don't I make you a spanish omelette with a salad and some garlic read."

"You cook Grumpy Bear, what a surprise."  
"I swear, Ms Smoak, if you don't stop calling me that I'll, I'll..."  
"You'll what, Gumpy Bear." 

He'd fuck her again. That's what he really wanted to do, until she begged for mercy. Instead he began to tickle her and grinned when a look of horror crossed her face and she began to scream with laughter.

"Okay, Oliver, I give in, won't call you Grump....what you don't like. I promise, pinky promise. Oliver, she screamed. No. Stop."

"So Ms Smoak," he grinned at her, "I've found your Achilles heel."  
"You're mean Oliver. I need food."  
"Okay, but I need a shower first. I'm going upstairs. You can use the bathroom here. It has clean towels."

After a quick shower Felicity put on the robe she found in the bathroom. Hoping to find one of his shirts, she opened what she expected to be the door to his dressing room. It was a walk-in wardrobe alright but it was filled with women's clothes, of all kinds - dresses, skirts, slacks, blouses, shoes. There was even underwear in one of the drawers. Everything looked brand new. 

Was Oliver Jensen a cross freaken dresser, who liked tight clothes. She giggled.  
Felicity stepped back out and looked around the room. This was not his room. It was very feminine. The decor was cream and pale pink, with a vanity. This room belonged to a young girl, probably early teen? What the hell? Too old to be a daughter, too girly to be a woman - his girlfriend? So who?

She kept the robe on and walked into the living area. "Mmm that smells delicious" she said, smiling at him.  
"It's ready and I've poured you a glass of wine. Hope red is still okay or I have some white chilled in the fridge."  
"Yeah. Red's fine. Does someone live here with you Oliver?"  


"No. I suppose you saw woman's clothes in the bedroom." He grinned at her. "And no, I'm not a cross dresser."  
"How did you know I thought about that?"  
"Because I'm getting to know you Ms Smoak and how that brain of yours work." 

"Did you know you called me Felicity in the throes of passion? Never mind that. Tell me about those clothes. It looked like they belong to a teen."

Oliver's facial expression blanked, his whole body went loose, a trick he had perfected as cover for any tells whenever the present reminded him of a past life. "Yes, a young relative of mine. If ever she stayed over I want her to have all she needs here."

"Oh? A cousin, a sister?"

"You're touching on a painful subject for me, one better left where it's been buried. Are you ready to tell me about Chile, and what happened to you there or wherever, South of the Border?" 

"Touché," she said a little surprised. She supposed she must have given something away along the line and he'd picked up on it. "Okay. deal. No prying and no sharing secrets."

He nodded. "Are you ready to eat?" He pushed a knife and fork at her wrapped in a napkin of the best quality linen. She expected some paper napkins from Walmart or one made of cheap cloth. But this? What single man of his age does that? Maybe he'd had a live-in partner. Of all her colleagues at A.R.G.U.S he was the only with little to dig into. Why did Waller call him Oliver. Everything about him peaked her curiosity. 

Felicity look up into Oliver's face. It was a small thing but it was the kind of thing she'd been trained to notice. This quality napkin was of the kind you'd find in high end hotels that catered mainly for billionaires, like the _Burj Al Arab_ in Dubai, where service was bespoke. Who was Oliver Jensen? 

"You alright?" He asked, taking in the look in her eye.  
"Yes, of course. I'm just surprised at how accomplished you are."

His face flushed and she laughed. He shook his head and to her delight his flush deepened.  
"I mean't your culinary skills Oliver, but you're good at the other too." She grinned at him.

"Glad I was able to satisfy your needs Ms Smoak."  
"You did. I hope I met yours too," she whispered, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious.  
He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Felicity. You are not to feel embarrassed with me, okay?" 

"Okay. I'd like to do it again. I mean if you want to that is."

He gazed at her, suddenly seeing the side of her she allowed expression, the soft and pliant Felicity, but still that hint of non-compliance. That side of her was a contrast to the tough, confident badass Ms Smoak, whose intelligence intimidated him a little, if he were honest.  
"We can talk about that later. Now eat."


	7. Rules of Engagement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity and Oliver talk about the possibility of a specific kind of relationship between them. 
> 
> Meanwhile A.R.G.U.S core business continues with a new mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Various ARGUS operations is the hook on which I'm hanging the forward movement of Olicity's developing relationship. Each new storyline will take them a step further and deeper.

Felicity nursed her glass of wine watching him clear away. He'd refused her help, saying she was a guest. 

She smiled at that. They'd made quite a journey from the time she stood on his doorstep to now.

She was itching to hear what he had to say about them moving forward. Her time with him had been intense but very enjoyable. She also felt safe with him, something she hadn't felt for a long time, far too long. 

"Right Ms Smoak, come." He motioned her to the couch where he was already heading. "You wanted to talk about a repeat performance. I'd like that too but it's not that simple." 

"Why not? Do you have a girlfriend? I did sort of check with Alena but she was noncommittal. I knew you didn't have a wife. Too controlling." She grinned. 

Oliver was silent listening to her ramble. He was still wrestling with himself whether this was a good idea. He didn't know enough about her and that held the potential threat of exposure. He was simply not prepared to leave himself open to that. Sexually she was perfect. Pliant but with a subtle hint of assertiveness. To his surprise he liked it. He liked her challenging his dominance then succumb to it. 

"Well? Are you deliberately keeping me in suspense Oliver?" 

His eyes came to rest on her. "No. But tonight was something of an anomaly." 

"Oh? Why?"  
"Because you're the first woman who've been here for sex, that I've had sex with here I mean?" 

Her eyes widened and her mouth formed an Oh! "I'm flattered. But don't you bring girlfriends back here?" 

He stared intently at her. "Felicity I don't do boyfriend/girlfriend; I don't date and I don't do casual sex." 

"So what happened tonight?" 

He shrugged then smiled at her. "First Ms Smoak arrives on my doorstep with her pesky, demanding assertiveness and she challenged me. I had to take her on." 

Felicity laughed. "So you see me as a challenge. Good to know." 

"No. I didn't say that. You threw down the gauntlet and I couldn't very well wimp out. But going forward I have a problem, several in fact." 

"Oh? And they are?"

"First, to be quite frank, I know very little about you. You are a relative stranger." 

"But we might have met in a club, and I am a known quantity compared to that."

"Yes we might, but this is not a club. It's my home. In a club there are boundaries, it doesn't overlap with my life outside. And there is a semi-permanence about my relationship with a sex partner. I don't think that's what you are looking for and I need more than a quick fuck to relax after missions." 

"So do you already have a semi-permanent sex partner?"  
"Yes, I do."  
"Do you like her?"

Oliver raised an eyebrow. He'd answer but that's as far as this would go. "As a matter of fact I do. Would you have sex with someone you disliked?" 

"So this is a one-night stand?"

Oliver took a deep breath and gazed into her eyes. "Let me remind you that I didn't ask you to come here. You showed up on my doorstep." He was getting angry with her now. He got up off the couch and walked around the back of it to stand staring out the windows, into pitch blackness. There was no moon and the stars were high up in the firmament. Just like his life. Dark, with the light far away. Unreachable. 

Long minutes went by before he turned back to her. 

Felicity was kneeling on the couch, leaning against the back rest watching him. "So you want this, us, to become regular sex partners." 

"There is no 'us' Felicity. We had sex and it was very enjoyable. I could have gone on with you the whole night but..."

"I know there's no 'us' Oliver," she interrupted him. "I'm not expecting an engagement ring any time soon. I simply meant you and me having regular sex with the understanding that is all there is between us. Just sex, except you won't be paying for it. I assume that's what you do now, pay for it?" 

That was below the belt, she knew it. But if she was the first he'd fucked in his home and didn't do girlfriend but had a regular sex partner, then he must be paying for it. She stared at him breathing hard. She wanted him again, damn him.  
"Admit it Oliver, you want this. I can see it in your eyes."

Felicity turned her head, her eyes following him as Oliver took those few steps until he was back in front of the couch staring down at her. Felicity sat back down defiantly returning his stare. She knew she'd just pushed one of his buttons.

Oliver could hear the blood pounding in his veins. She was so damned infuriating. "Dammit Felicity. Yes, I want this. I want you." He wanted to haul her ass to the Green room, blindfold her, cuff her hands and feet and spend the rest of the night making her beg. 

"Take off that fucking robe." 

Felicity immediately complied. She couldn't get to naked quick enough. She sat staring up at him, harsh pants made her chest heave. Her pupils were already blown. 

He stared down at her stunning body, curvy, tantalizing, made for him, his lips, tongue and hands. Oliver leaned in, his arms caging her against the couch, asserting his dominance. He watched her bottom lip disappear between her teeth to reemerge soft and moist.  
He bent down and inhaled her hair, her scent assailed him. His lips traced her jawline from beneath one ear to the next. He pulled an earlobe into his mouth and sucked it. His knee pushed between her thigh and pressed against her sex. He heard her intake of breath, pushing out in short fast pants between slightly parted lips.

He pressed hot kisses on her face, the back of his hand stroked the underside of her breast. His tongue licked at her before his mouth settled on her neck. Her head fell back and she arched up into him. She widened her legs and his knee pushed harder against her sex, and she moved against him with breathless little moans. 

His lips found hers and nipped at them. She opened up to him and his tongue plundered her mouth. She raked her hands through the short hair on the back of his neck, making his scalp tingle as his tongue revelled in her sweetness. 

Oliver removed his knee and pushed two fingers into her through slick wet folds. "Already wet for me baby?" he whispered against her ear, running his tongue along the shell.

Felicity ached for more. Her body writhed against his hand as fingers pumped into her slowly, deliberately. “Oh god, Oliver,” she moaned.

Oliver removed his fingers and stood back and away from her. Felicity made a little moue of disapproval at his withdrawal. He watched her as he removed a condom from the pocket of his sweats, placed there earlier in hope that he'd get an opportunity to have her again. He hated using condoms. 

Felicity's breath caught in her throat. She was salivating as she watched him lower his sweats and grasp his cock, holding it in his hand by the thick, veiny, base and rolled the condom over the fat head before sheathing it over his long shaft. Dear god, she wanted that inside her. Now. Her body craved the pleasurable feel of him thrusting relentlessly into her. Her gaze raised up to his face. He smirked, knowing what she was thinking.

His hands grasped her shoulders and turned her body, pushing her down into the couch. He grabbed an ankle and hooked it over the back of it, then pushed her other leg over the edge so it fell to the floor. It left her spread open wide so he could ease his large body between her thighs. 

"Hands up above your head Felicity," he growled. When she did so he secured both her wrists in one of his hands and in one fluid movement plunged his hard, thick cock deep into her wetness. She cried out and hummed her pleasure. 

"You do not come until I say so, is that understood?" He rasped in her ear.  
"Yes Sir," she whispered.

Oliver pulled out then thrust back into her, hard and deep. Felicity cried out, her eyes slammed shut. Soft whimpers of pleasure escaped her as he continued a brutal pace. His lips ravaged her neck, biting and sucking at her skin.

Felicity wanted to wrap her legs around his waist but didn't dare. She knew what would happen. But she craved a little pain, just a little. She moaned loudly when his lips fell to her collarbone, sucking and nipping at her skin. He pounded mercilessly into her body, his face buried into her neck.  
Felicity moaned loudly, relishing his undiminishing stamina, and her juices flowed, unbidden.

"You. Do. Not. Come. Felicity," he growled into her skin. He bit the top of her breast and she screamed as the pressure, pleasure and pain threatened to throw her into the abyss. She tried hard but could hold it no longer. He looked down into her face, hastening his thrusts. That was enough to make her walls tighten around him. She gazed up at him, her eyes pleading for release.

"Beg," he demanded, breathing hard.

"P-please!" Felicity cried out. "Please Sir! Please let me come!" She was teetering on the edge, so, so close. Oh god. She wasn't going to be able...."Ol-l-i-v-e-r puleeeease..."  
His lips skimmed over her face, and his fingers pinched her clit. Her body tensed and arched up, her head pushing back into the couch. "Come for me now baby," he finally allowed.

Felicity's body shuddered and her orgasm came like a tsunami that shook her very roots. Her inner sinews clung to him like a limpet before slowly releasing him. He let go of her wrists and her arms remained in place, limp. Felicity had never come so hard. She gazed up at him, taking deep, ragged breaths. He smiled down at her, placing a soft chaste kiss on her lips. "I'm not done with you yet baby," he whispered." 

It was a subtle punishment. He'd show her how much he wanted it.

Without warning Oliver flipped her over on to her stomach. His hands grasped her hips, pulling them upwards and he took her from behind. His fingers moved between her nipples and her clit, pinching, pulling and rolling as he fucked her. Felicity's cries and moans filled the room. She came twice more before he finally spurted long and hot inside the condom inside of her. 

Oliver's body slumped over hers for a moment before he pulled himself out of her. He sat down, breathing hard, one hand rested on her butt for a minute before removing the condom. He tied it, got up and walked to the bedroom. 

Felicity's body slumped down on the couch, she felt limbless. She was unable to move; it would take a crane to shift her. She wondered in a disoriented way why he never removed his tee when he fucked her. Her eyes began to close and barely opened when she felt herself being lifted up into his arms.

Felicity was vaguely aware of being laid on a bed, then a warm wet cloth was cleaning between her thighs and then dried with a soft towel. Oliver pulled the duvet over her naked body. "Good night," he whispered but she was already asleep. 

***

Felicity woke the next morning wondering where she was just for a moment. This wasn't her room in Alena's apartment. Then memory flooded in, and a soft smile played around her lips, her fingers touched them. She could feel the burn from his scruff on her body but she felt exhilarated and happy. Her battered body needed a soak; she would be sore today. 

When Felicity stepped out of the bedroom, lured by the smell of freshly brewed coffee, he was there looking hot and sweaty. He smiled when he saw her.

"Good morning Ms Smoak. I trust you slept well." In the cold light of day, he was slightly regretful he'd allowed lust to get ahead of his better judgement. He wasn't use to having people around in the morning and wasn't too enamoured with the idea. 

"Good morning. Yes, thank you, the best sleep I've had for a long time." She smiled shyly at him. 

"I'm going to take a quick shower. I don't know what you have for breakfast but take a look. There's fruit, bread for toast and an assortment of jellies, muffins and croissants, yogurt and juice in the fridge. Help yourself to anything else you fancy. I won't be long."

"Okay. Thank you."

If she'd expected domesticated talk and banter around the island, that was not happening. Gone was her hot demanding lover, replaced by her work colleague. Friendly but aloof. She supposed that's how it was if you were merely a sex partner. 

True to his word, Oliver was back within twenty minutes. "Hi. Found everything you needed" he asked, pouring himself another cup of coffee.

"Yes thanks. I'm good."

"Did you take up Alena's offer of the spare room in her apartment?" 

"Yes. For the time being. I'm anxious to find my own place. I've seen a couple of possibilities."

"Well you'll have little time to get back to there. Why don't you help yourself to anything you need from Th....the bedroom. I'm sure you'll find something to fit. The underwear is brand new. I seem to remember destroying yours, if you can call what you had on underwear." He grinned.

"So you're a ripper-off of panties. And with your teeth no less. You better get me a drawerful if you're going to rip them off when, if, we ever do this again," she said innocently. 

She was such a little minx. Temptress. "What I prefer Ms Smoak is that you wear none at all," he said winking at her. 

She couldn't believe that he could just forget the utter pleasure they had experienced the night before. "Oliver I don't want to hark back to our conversation last night because you've made it clear what your position is, but is there some rule about fraternizing with colleagues at work?" 

"Actually No. Diggle and Lyla are married, almost, for the second time. They live together. The service prefers that to outsiders. For one thing the agents don't have to lie to anyone they're dating. I don't share information about my sex-life at work though, if that's what you're asking. I value my privacy. Who I'm having sex with is nobody's business." 

He stared at her. Who was he kidding. Of course he'd like to have her as a sex partner but something was stopping him from making it happen and there were certain rules. She had made all the running and he'd not had a chance to think it through, especially if it was happening here, in his private space. Not that he wasn't ready for that. The Green room was ready, if unused. He never had the inclination to take anyone in there until now, until her. 

Whatever he said, he knew they were teetering on the brink of something but he was not ready for a number of reasons. He knew she was ready to be his sex partner with no strings attached, or friends/work colleagues with benefits or whatever. 

He was hesitating, she threatened to get too close and he didn't trust that. A lightbulb went on. It wasn't that he didn't trust Felicity, he didn't trust himself to be with her. He could easily let his guard down with her, letting her in. That cannot happen. It was not a satisfactory outcome, not the one he truly wanted but he didn't know how to make it otherwise.

"How did you get here, did you drive."  
"No. I took a cab, I don't have a car yet." 

"You can get a ride on my motorcycle, my usual mode of transport." 

"What? In a skirt? Thank you but no. I'd also prefer not to turn up at the office on the back of your bike." 

He grinned. "Why? Safeguarding your virtue?" 

"Mostly, but also because it will hint at who you were having sex with." 

Oliver almost spat his coffee back into the cup. "Why don't you call me a cab," she said sweetly. 

He chuckled. "Fine. I'll call my usual driver. His name is Roy Harper." 

"Thanks. I'll go and get ready." 

Felicity smiled at grumpy bear's transformation. He winks, and smiles and laughs. She knew because she had seen his dimple. He was a really good kisser and a stallion in bed. Not that she knew anything about the mating prowess of stallions but it was a good metaphor. She imagined they had a lot of stamina. He also cooked like a dream. She wanted some more of all that. 

_I was right about you handsome. I'll wait._

***

**A.R.G.U.S Team Briefing**

"Right, we're all here." Lyla looked around the assembled group.  
"We've received intel that the government of Camilhara has ordered a hit on Robert Jackson, an oil mogul who either dines or plays golf with members of the current Administration. 

"The assassination attempt will take place at some point tomorrow morning at the Mayfield hotel where Jackson is hosting a meeting with six potential collaborators. One among the six is the assassin. We are tasked to apprehend this individual without Jackson's knowledge.

"This is a photo of Jackson, a billionaire who lives a reclusive life. His security is legendary. In the current climate his business is considered to be important for the economy, and our government has his back on his latest venture. 

"And these are his six guests. Familiarize yourselves with their faces. The information reached us late and there hasn't been time to do a thorough check of the attendees. But they are all oil people and or investors, who seem okay on the surface.  
"You will also see this guy, Hansie Mueller, Jackson's personal assistant and righthand man. He is a young South African with a pronounced accent. You can't miss him.

"Jackson knows that Felicity will be part of the meeting as additional security on behalf of the government. He's not best pleased but he's in no position to object. Jackson needs diplomatic support while in Camilhara because of the new Administration now in power.

"Felicity you will be in the elevator straight to the Penthouse with the six attendees. Your gun has been secured beneath your own designated table a little way away from the main table. You'll have a clear view of the six attendees. 

"John will be on sentry duty in the lobby, and responsible for the external team around the hotel. Oliver you are floater. We've checked every guest staying in the hotel, and all visitors will be closely monitored. Over to you Curtis."

Curtis looked around at his colleagues and nodded. "We have most of the hotel under surveillance. I will be your eyes and ears for any blind spots. The three of you will be double miked. If anything interferes with your comms in the hotel, I may not be able to hear you but you will still hear me." 

"Any questions?" Lyla asked.

"Do we know why the Camilharan government wants to eliminate Jackson?" Felicity asked.

"Jackson worked for years with the previous administration to establish a potentially lucrative upstream. After years of investment, it is at the point of becoming a reality. It will revolutionize that country and be of significant benefit to us.  
"Earlier this year there was a change in goverment. A left leaning champion of the people came to power. They believe Jackson to be a crook, in league with the previous premier and his croonies who will undoubtedly line their own pockets, usurping the common good." 

"So we have no clue who this assassin might be, not even a hint at possibilities from their background checks," said Oliver, looking at the six anonymous faces. 

"Nope. Each of them appear to be bona fide, all invited by Jackson." 

"This is more than what appears on the surface," said John. "And I'm concerned about Felicity being in an elevator with an assassin." 

"John Diggle if I thought for one minute you are suggesting...."

"Felicity, come on." Diggle interrupted her. "Please. Don't go there. No, really. It's just that I have a bad feeling about this. At least two of us should be in that elevator."

"Why Digg? Do you think the real assassin will shoot everybody in the elevator and then go after Jackson?" 

Diggle shrugged. "I'm just saying it's something to be doubly alert about Oliver." 

"Okay Digg, I hear you." Felicity gave him a half smile. He was just concerned for her safety. 

"Look," said Lyla, "we have covered all the bases as far as possible. Let's keep it simple. If the assassin wanted to shoot inside the elevator, it doesn't matter if there one or two A.R.G.U.S personnel. He'd also have to hide a gun inside the elevator because a weapon won't get through security. 

"Oh, one last thing, Amanda may get involved at some juncture if necessary because she is a member of the same golf club as Jackson's wife Justina. They sometimes play together, and I believe she has been to their home. 

"Okay guys, we're done here. There's work to do. Alena has additional background information on all of this if you need it." 

Felicity glanced at Oliver. He'd hardly looked her way the entire morning. Yep. Sex partners, not even that. He'd been distant and cool with her since she woke up, except for that little quip about ripping panties. Now the counter-terrorism professional had kicked in too. 

"Once more into the breach dear friends," Curtis said, misquoting Shakespeare as he exited the briefing room. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With a nod to ArcheOlicity who wants Felicity to push Vivienne out!


	8. Two Witnesses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team has to deal with an unexpected but vaguely predicted event at the Mayfield Hotel.
> 
> Felicity and Oliver conduct a witness interview, then he takes her home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Curtis' communication with the team in the field is in **bold**

Oliver and Diggle arrived at the Mayfield at different times. Felicity had arrived earlier, placing herself in a strategic position so she had eyes on everyone milling around in the hotel lobby. 

**Base Check to Mayfield: are you receiving me?**

Diggle and Felicity nodded at Oliver.  
"Affirmative. Loud and clear," responded Oliver.

Felicity's soft tones transmitted info to Oliver, Diggle and Curtis. "The first guest has already arrived, he is seated in alcove to right of reception." 

"Guest numbers 2, 3 and 4 have just arrived," Oliver intoned.

When all the guests were assembled, Hansie Mueller, Jackson's assistant plus security appeared. He greeted and welcomed everyone. "Mr Jackson is awaiting you in the Penthouse but if you don't mind carrying out the usual security checks, I'd be grateful."

**They are using scanners. Lose the lapel mic. Your earpiece is okay, it's made of natural fibres. You will be able to hear us in the elevator Delta 2 but we cannot hear you.**

Felicity promptly dropped her lapel mic into the nearest plant pot before she and the six men were ushered towards the elevator. She gave Oliver a quick glance and he nodded once. 

"I'm walking up," Oliver said, moving towards the stairs once the elevator doors closed. 

Inside the elevator Felicity placed herself in the middle at the back, giving herself the best view of everyone. No one spoke except for one man on his phone talking to someone who appeared to be his wife.

Suddenly the swift smooth movement of the elevator came to a juddering halt. As the minutes ticked by, the passengers became more and more agitated. 

**The elevator has stopped on the 19th floor. Be ready for anything Delta 2, stay alert. Something is happening.**

The elevator doors opened and two shooters appeared. One spoke just as the lights went out. Felicity's eyes widened in terror. She flung herself on the floor just before machine gun fire started....

Bounding up the stairs at a faster pace than most people could manage, Oliver suddenly found himself plunged into darkness. "Curtis what's happening? Talk to me." 

**The electrics are down, I've lost all my screens. The assassin must be making his move.**

Oliver heard the gunshots and momentarily stopped in his tracks. "Felicity!" he yelled, running up the stairs at full speed, his lungs bursting as he approached the 19th floor. "Felicity!" he shouted out when he arrived at the opened elevator and saw a pile of bodies in the gloom. 

Oliver flicked on the torchlight on his cell but still couldn't see her. His heart pounded painfully in his chest. 

"Felicity!" He called out pulling the first body out of the way. He saw her face covered in blood spatters, her eyes wide and staring. _Oh god. No. No._ He felt her pulse; it was beating strong. Oliver breathed a sigh of relief. She must have passed out. 

"Felicity it's Oliver, can you hear me?"

Her eyelids fluttered back to normal. The fear in her eyes was stark. "Are they gone?"  
"Yes," Oliver said.  
"Are you sure, please make sure."  
"I'm sure Felicity. Whoever they were, they've gone. There's nobody here. Are you hurt?"  
"No."  
"Good. Stay where you are. Breathe. I'm going to check in, okay?"  
She nodded.

Oliver stepped back and tapped on his earpiece. "This is Alpha One, can anyone hear me?" 

"Go ahead Alpha One. What is Delta 2's position." 

"She's okay. Lyla someone tried to kill everyone in the elevator. Lock down the hotel now. No one goes in or out. We need several ambulances." 

"Alpha 2 is already on it. What about Delta 2, is she hurt?"

"I'm here with her now, she's seems okay. Someone was on top of her, which probably saved her life. I'm bringing her in for a check up. Over and out."

Oliver returned quickly to Felicity as the lights came back on. "Can you stand?"  
"I think so."  
"Here, let me help you."

They were both startled to hear someone cough and moan. Oliver went to the man who grabbed his arm in a panic, his eyes wide and staring around him. He was shaking. 

"Hey, hey, it's okay. You're safe. Are you hurt?" The man just continued looking wildly about him, still clutching at Oliver. 

"It's okay. Help is coming. We're not going to leave you." 

Oliver checked for other survivors. One man had a weak pulse. Everyone else was dead.

***

"What's the count Mr Diggle?" Waller asked. 

"Four dead, one survivor. His name is Tom Chapman, corporate fixer based in Dubai." 

"Is he wounded?"  
"No."  
"Tell the police to bring him here. What about the sixth man?"  
"James Villiers, he's in a coma, probably won't survive the day." 

"What the hell happened Mr Diggle? I thought the assassin was supposed to be in the elevator. We need to get to the bottom of this. Please assemble the team for a debrief." 

***

"I'm glad you're okay Felicity," Diggle said. "Something just didn't seem right. I had a bad feeling about it." 

Waller turned to Felicity. "What happened in that elevator Ms Smoak. How many gunmen were there?"

"Two I think. It was d-dark." Felicity tried to swallow. Her mouth was dry.  
"Did you see anything else, hear anyone speak?"  
"N-no. They just spr-sprayed the elevator with bu-bullets and left." 

"Amanda can't this wait? Felicity was almost killed a few hours ago. She needs to go home." Oliver was on the verge of calling Roy to take her home. 

"No!" Felicity said in a voice louder than she expected. Everyone looked at her. "I can do this, truly. I, I prefer to be here." 

Waller nodded. And Felicity slowly withdrew into herself.

"So how did they get out?" Oliver asked. "We threw a cordon around the place, checking everyone in and out." He was upset about Felicity, Waller should have overruled her. 

"Maybe they didn't leave," Lyla said. "We're checking on all guests occupying each floor." 

"The cameras on the 15th floor were de-activated ten minutes before the shooting. Other cameras picked up nothing." said Curtis. 

"Double check every single guest on that floor, all CCTV around the hotel. Do a forensic examination of everything Curtis, however miniscule," said Oliver. "What about the outside team John? Anything?" 

"No nothing. Something just isn't right about this whole damn thing and how it went down. So the story of the shooter in the elevator was a decoy?"

Alena pushed her head around the door. "Chapman has been brought in for interrogation."

"Thank you Ms Whitlock. Why did Chapman survive?" Waller pondered aloud to no one in particular." 

Felicity took a sip of water. "Well I hit the floor as soon as the doors opened, maybe he did the same." 

"Or maybe that's what he was supposed to do," said Waller.

"Suppose Jackson knew about the assassination attempt and arranged to take everyone out himself," said Diggle returning to his original theory. "That makes perfect sense to me. He has a reputation for ruthlessness." 

"You think Jackson would deliberately kill a government agent Mr Diggle. He knew Ms Smoak would be in that elevator." 

"But she didn't die or get hurt Amanda," insisted Diggle. "She is the only one who escaped unscathed." 

"Only because she took evasive action," said Oliver. Chapman escaped too. That's much more significant. There's something slippery about that man." 

"That aside, these oil moguls will crush anyone who gets in their way," Diggle persisted. He was certain Jackson was at the bottom of it all. "No milk of human kindness about that guy. I'm surprised someone didn't bump him off a long time ago." 

"Suppose it was a cover to let the real assassin survive in the hope that he could still get to Jackson." Oliver was fixating on the one who got away.  
When he thought about it, that didn't make sense either. As the sole survivor, Chapman wouldn't be allowed to get anywhere near Jackson in the aftermath of the shooting. Diggle is right, nothing about this makes any sense. 

"Oliver you and Ms Smoak were in the elevator with Chapman," said Waller. See what more he knows. I need to go and talk to the Powers That Be. What Mr Diggle just said is concerning." 

The meeting dispersed but Oliver held Felicity back. "I'm pretty sure you're not up for this Felicity. A gunman attempted to kill you just a few hours ago. Let me arrange for someone to take you home." 

Felicity shuddered at this words, her blood ran cold. They almost succeeded. Her distress returned with force. 

Oliver placed a hand on her shoulder. "Look, I can see Chapman by myself or with John. No one would think anything of it if you went home. You've been through an ordeal and still in shock." 

"No Oliver, I want to do this. Please. This is the only thing holding me together right now. I'll go home after Chapman." She wanted to be there to hear what Chapman would say. She struggled to retain her composure. 

"Okay," he said softly. "Let me do all the talking. You listen to his answers, see if they check out with your memory, okay?" She nodded.

***

Oliver leaned back in his chair, observing a dishevelled Tom Chapman, still in his bloodied clothes. "How do you know Robert Jackson, Mr Chapman?" 

"I don't know him. Never met him. I got a call some days ago by a member of his team. What is going on here?" 

"What was on the table?" 

"I was told that Jackman is opening up more oil opportunities in Camilhara. Of course I was interested, who doesn't want to make money. It's business."

"What happened in the elevator was not business Mr Chapman."  
"That has nothing to do with me."  
"But you survived."  
"And that makes me guilty?" 

"It makes you interesting Mr Chapman," Felicity said.

Chapman gave her a pointed look. "Why? You survived too. What did you see and hear?"

"We're asking the questions Mr Chapman," Oliver interjected. "Tell us what happened from your perspective." 

"I was standing near her," his nodded towards Felicity. "She dropped on the floor when the lift doors opened, and I copied her."

"And then what."  
"I don't know, it was confusing. There were gunshots, lots of them, like a sub-machine gun, and then...uhm..."

"What Mr Chapman? What happened after that?" 

"I don't know. They just left. That's right isn't it?" He looked directly at Felicity. 

Oliver looked at Felicity for confirmation. She nodded. "I think they probably heard your voice and left quickly."

"Then what happened?" Oliver persisted.

"Nothing. I must have passed out because I remember nothing until I saw you beside me, and her."

Oliver folded his arms and leaned back in his chair. "Suppose I told you we had intelligence that someone was trying to assassinate Jackson and the gunmen were there to take out the assassin." 

"And you think I am the assassin?"  
"We have no idea who you are Mr Chapman."  
"I'm a witness, that's who I am, and a citizen of this country. I demand protection." 

"Oh don't worry Mr Chapman, we'll make sure you're well protected.  
Have a good night. Tomorrow we'll move you to a safe-house."

"What? You're not going to just leave me here?"  
"Oh our bunks are quite comfortable. Someone will bring you some fresh clothes. See you in the morning." 

"Do you trust him?" Oliver asked once he closed the door on Chapman.  
"No. Not as far as I can throw him," said Felicity.

"You need to go home Felicity. It's well past the time. Alena must be about ready to leave. So you won't be alone." 

"Oliver can I ask you a huge favour? Can I stay with you until this is all sorted out. I won't feel safe at Alena's just in case those gunmen are looking for survivors who are now witnesses. They'd know by now that me and Chapman survived. Your house is like Fort Knox. I promise I won't bother you or get in your way." 

Oliver hesitated, he felt caught. His entire being was screaming against it. He didn't want anyone in his space. But she was right, she and Chapman were both witnesses and he was going to a safe-house. Felicity was as much at risk and ought to be protected too until the gunmen were caught. He could do that, it won't be for long, a couple of days tops.  
"Okay," he said. 

"Thank you. That's a huge weight off my mind." 

He looked into her eyes and was genuinely shocked by what he saw. She was no longer the assertive, confident woman he'd met on the Monrovia Star. Felicity Smoak was scared witless. He was only now noticing how pale she was. He should never have agreed to her interviewing Chapman. 

"Felicity are you sure you're okay?"  
She nodded, but her lips trembled. 

"Do you want to swing by Alena's to pick up anything you need?" 

"Would you mind?" She really needed her tablet. There was something urgent she needed to do. 

"No. Of course not. Let's go."

Leaving his motorcycle behind, Oliver signed for an A.R.G.U.S vehicle and drove Felicity to Alena's. He sat in the car waiting for her.  
After ten minutes she emerged wearing a hoodie and looked nervously around before walking quickly to the car. 

She gave him a tremulous little smile once she'd settled in the passenger seat. "Let's go." she whispered. 

Oliver glanced at her face. She'd gone inside herself, the sass had deserted her and a subtle armour was firmly in place. All of Oliver's protective instincts came to the fore. He squeezed her knee before pulling away. He knew all about armours. Except on very rare occasions and mostly inside his own home, his was a second skin. 

Within half an hour they were at his home. Oliver used a key fob to open his garage and parked next to his one and only baby, his pale grey Porsche Cayman. When at the wheel and on the open road, that was the one true freedom he experienced since that fateful day he left on the Gambit with his father and Sara, and one of the rare occasions the armour was discarded. 

Oliver took her bags and led her upstairs through his training room and up a second flight into his living area. It was the second point of access into his home.

Oliver took her straight to the pink and cream bedroom. "Are you hungry?"  
"No. I don't feel hungry thanks." 

"Okay, but I'm going to prepare something for myself, so if you change your mind." 

"What I need right now is to soak in a hot bath."

He placed a hand on her shoulder, his thumb gently rubbed her collarbone. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Felicity momentarily lay her cheek on his hand and closed her eyes. His warmth and comfort were sorely needed. "It was just today. The whole thing. I'll be okay here with you. I feel safe." 

"Good. You are safe here. See you in a while." 

When Oliver left Felicity ran the bath and poured some of the oils and bath salts she found into the filling bath. She ached and just wanted to blank her mind. 

Felicity looked at her face in the mirror. She still looked the same but she didn't feel the same. They had found her. Cortez had obviously recognised her and tipped them off. She'd feared that ever since she spotted him on the Monrovia Star. Felicity shuddered. Her shoulders slumped and for the first time she allowed the tears to flow. 

***

His voice came from a long way away. He was knocking on the door and calling her name. She must have dozed off. How long had he been knocking because he was just on the other side of the bathroom door.

"I'll be out in a minute Oliver," her voice sounded groggy.  
"Are you okay? I was knocking for some time."  
"Sorry, had earphones in. I'm fine. Just enjoying the bath a little too much." 

She listened to his footsteps walking away. Felicity hurriedly shampooed her hair and rinsed it, then sluiced herself off with the hand shower. She needed to let the day go down the drain. 

Back in the kitchen, Oliver wasn't sure she was fine. She hardly said anything during the team debrief, only responding to Waller's questions, clearly distressed. He'd only noticed how vulnerable she seemed after they'd seen Chapman. Something didn't add up. 

The Felicity Smoak who came out of Alena's apartment in a hoodie and almost ran to the car was not the woman with steady hands who shot those two hi-jackers at point blank range. This was a very unnerved and scared Felicity Smoak. He was glad he could offer her the safety of his home. But he could only help her if she told him what was going on. 

Oliver looked up when the bedroom door opened and she came out in her bathrobe, her hair still damp and curling around her face. She looked so young and vulnerable. He wanted to hug her. It was obvious she'd been crying but he wasn't going to say anything, unless she brought it up. 

"Hi, can I persuade you to have a little pasta."  
She nodded. "Thank you."

He served her and poured her a glass of wine. She drank half the glass in one gulp. 

He watched her. She looked completely wiped out. Was it just the incident in the elevator or something more. But what could be worse than being in a confined space, sprayed by machine gun fire and have your body covered by a dead one, with other dead bodies around you. 

Oliver held his tongue and they ate in silence. He cleared away in silence then poured some brandy into a glass. 

He held his hand out to her. "Come with me."  
Wordlessly Felicity took his hand and allowed him to lead back into the bedroom. 

"I want you to get into bed and drink this nightcap, a little brandy, okay?"  
She nodded and like a child did as she was told. Oliver sat on the bed and handed her the glass. Felicity gulped it back and grimaced. 

Oliver took the empty glass. "Do you want to talk about it?"  
"No."  
"It might help." She stared at him with wide, almost wild eyes.  
"Felicity talk to me, please. Whatever this is, let me help you."  
"You have helped already by letting me stay here."  
"Does that really solve the problem?"  
She shrugged. 

"Did something or someone scare you today beyond what happened in the elevator?" 

"I saw someone at the Mayfield today, someone from my past. It was just upsetting." 

She was lying. She probably did see someone from her past but it was much more than upsetting. She was totally freaked by it. Why? But he wasn't going to push it.  
"You know you're safe here, right? And can stay as long as you need." 

"Thank you" she whispered, her eyes beginning to close. 

He had a sudden desire to kiss her forehead and struggled to resist the urge. Oliver shook his head. Since when did go all mushy over a woman? "Goodnight" he said softly. There was no response. He was sure she was already asleep. 

Oliver switched off the light and left her door ajar. He'd already decided he was going to sleep on the couch just in case she freaked out in the night and found herself in a strange place. He knew that one. He'd been there. 

***

The piercing scream came at around 2a.m. Oliver was beside her bed in seconds just as the second scream came. Felicity was thrashing around in the bed, moving her head from side to side. 

"Felicity you're safe. Wake up. It's me Oliver." 

_No. No. Don't. Get off me. I'll kill you. I will kill you._ Felicity screamed and fought him off as he tried to still her flaying arms. 

"Felicity. It's okay, it's me Oliver. You're safe. Felicity wake up." 

She finally stilled and stared unseeingly up at him. She sat up and looked around the room. "Oliver? Are they gone?" 

Are they gone? That's what she asked him in the elevator. She was traumatised by today's events. Oliver sat down beside her and stroked her hair. "It's only me Felicity, there's no one else here. You're safe. It was just a dream." 

Felicity threw herself into Oliver's arms, sobbing softly. "Stay with me," she whimpered. "Please." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something was rustling in the undergrowth from onboard the Monrovia Star. One person thought Felicity a dark horse. Undoubtedly.


	9. Ugly Encounters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Team continue with their investigation in the Mayfield Hotel shooting and Felicity escorts Chapman to an A.R.G.U.S. safe house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Felicity revealed there was a past that haunted her starting with her reaction to Cortez on board the Monrovia Star. She obliquely refers to that past the night she went to Oliver's house the first time, telling him how alike they were and how they both used sex to quieten their ghosts. 
> 
> Several pieces of the puzzle are already on the table. She knows Cortez and what he does, she's lived/worked in South America, there's her gun and her tech skills. This chapter will give you two more clues.

Before Oliver could respond to Felicity's entreaty for him to stay with her, after that dream, she was already asleep again, her head on his shoulder and an arm firmly around his chest.

Oliver scooted further down the bed to make her more comfortable, but he remained in a sitting position on top of the duvet, his head resting against the headboard. He kissed her hair and held her. His sweats and a tee shielded him against the cooler night air and he was quite comfortable. He'd slept in much less accommodating positions over the last eight years and in temperatures below zero in that godforsaken Russian jail. 

Oliver tried to release himself a couple of times once Felicity was in a deep sleep but her arm tightened around him. She even grumbled in her sleep once, which made him smile. So Oliver relaxed, accepted his fate for the night and managed to snatch some intermittent sleep. 

It was dawn before he finally managed to ease away from her.

By the time a fully dressed Felicity emerged from the bedroom, Oliver had pancakes, scrambled eggs, assorted fruit and fresh coffee waiting. He was showered and dressed too and didn't have to leave her today. They breakfasted together and chit-chatted about inconsequential things. Each with a different take on, and avoiding the very obvious elephant in the room. 

"Why do you think Amanda Waller refers to you and Lyla by your first names but the rest of us by our titles," Felicity lobbed into a silent space. 

Oliver looked up. He knew she was finding things to say to pre-empt any probing questions from him. "I don't know. Maybe because we are both teacher's pets?" 

Felicity laughed and the sound pleased him. It was the first laugh he'd heard from her since the night before, when she'd turned up on his doorstep a mere twelve hours ago. Oliver felt he'd known her for a life time already and yet he knew next to nothing about her. 

He knew why Waller called him by his first name. A different name was lodged in her brain, one she'd called him from that very first encounter, Mr Queen. If she attempted to call him anything other than Oliver, that other name would pop out, revealing his true identity. Only Lyla and John knew who he was.

***

Oliver and Felicity arrived in the A.R.G.U.S underground carpark at the same time as John and Lyla. The couple could not hide their surprise at seeing them together at that time of the morning. 

"Hello you two early birds, had a good night?" Lyla greeted them sunnily. Then realised what she'd said and blushed to her roots.

Instead of leaving well alone, Diggle hastily came to Lyla's rescue. "She meant did you two spend the night together, because well, after Felicity's experience yesterday in the..."

"Johnny I meant nothing of the sort."  
"Well I'm only saying..."  
"Johnny!" his almost wife for the second time screeched at him, "stop talking." 

"Good morning Lyla. Man in deep hole should stop digging Digg," Oliver said with a chuckle. He was completely unfazed and was even enjoying the little scenario. 

Diggle glanced at his friend, who suddenly seemed more relaxed and had acquired new levity since the advent of Felicity Smoak. She was having a positive effect on the Grid, and especially on his friend. 

By now Felicity's skin had turned a warm pink. She fidgeted and pushed her glasses firmly up the bridge of her nose. "Good morning you two, she said in a quiet voice.

"Come," Lyla said, chivvying everyone towards the elevators, "we can't stand here all morning gossiping about who sleeps with whom," she gave Oliver a sly look. "I've already had a morning call from the boss who seems to be on the warpath today." 

Felicity who would normally have given John sass seemed subdued and everyone fell in line with her manner as the elevator whizzed them up to the Grid. 

***

"Listen up everyone," said Lyla, "Alena has some new info. 

"I've done a deep dive into the back stories of Jackson's six guests," said Alena. "Five check out perfectly but not this one." 

"Don't tell me. It's Chapman," said Oliver.

"No. This man." A photo came up on screen. "He claimed to be Michael Strong of Radex Petroleum. He isn't. Strong died a few years ago. This is Pierre Pascal, French ex-Marine. He was employed by the company just a month ago but has no business experience." 

"What kind of company does that. This gets murkier and murkier, and I'm not surprised," Diggle said. 

Felicity nodded agreement. "It is the way of the private sector, that's why I wanted to get out. This guy may not be a businessman but he knows how to kill." 

"So if the Camilharans wanted to take Jackson out, he'd be perfect," added Oliver.

"Except he had no gun, no one in the elevator did," said Lyla.

"A weapon could have been stashed in the Penthouse beforehand and all he had to do is retrieve it from somewhere that everyone would use," Felicity said.

Oliver looked across the table at her. "The bathroom."  
"Exactly."

"Given Jackson's paranoia about security, every inch of that place would have been thoroughly searched beforehand and searched again," Lyla offered. 

"It might be improbable Lyla, but not impossible. It's worth checking out. We cannot afford to overlook the smallest thing." 

"If you're right Oliver, The Penthouse has been sealed so the weapon will still be there. Why don't you and Felicity go check it out."

***

"Nothing," said Oliver with exasperation, having done a thorough sweep of the Penthouse. "You checked the bathroom thoroughly?" 

"Oliver I promise you, if there was a gun in there I'd find it."

"Perhaps we're not looking for a gun. Come on, let's take another look."

Felicity stood in the doorway watching Oliver check all the places she'd looked. He kicked in the bath panel. Nothing. Then he tried to dismount the bathroom cabinet and a side panel came partially away from the wall. Oliver peered through the gap. "There is something here. Your hand is smaller than mine, see if you can reach it." 

Felicity reached inside the gap and her hand closed around a small bottle. It was filled with tablets. 

Oliver took it and read the label. It was a potent painkiller. He called Lyla. 

"Alpha One you found something."  
"Maybe, not sure. Did Jackson have any health issues, like excessive pain?  
"Hang on while I check."

"Yes, he has very severe migraine, requiring constant medication."  
"Good. We may have found something. We're on the way back."

"Oliver that's the elevator," Felicity whispered before they could move. "I thought this floor was sealed."  
"It is. Quick, hide."

The door to the Penthouse opened and a tall broad shouldered man entered the suite and made straight for the bathroom.

"You looking for these?" Oliver asked coming up behind him.

The man turned and charged at him, knocking Felicity off her feet and out the way as he rushed for the door.

"Go Oliver, I'm fine. Don't let him get away," Felicity said nursing her jaw. 

Taking one last look to make sure she wasn't hurt, Oliver charged out after the man and reached him just as the elevator door closed. Oliver jumped into the next one hoping to be just seconds behind the intruder. 

Oliver saw the man rushing through the hotel lobby and took off after him, chasing him into the street, where the man ran across the road towards a waiting car.

Oliver stepped into the road and hastily pulled back as a large black official looking chauffeur-driven limousine pulled up and blocked his way. A man stepped out. 

He glared at Oliver. "I presume you are a police detective or a government official of some kind. Whoever you are, I believe you have something belonging to me, I'd like it back," the stranger pronounced.

"Who are you?" Oliver asked. He already knew. This man was probably someone senior at the Camilharan Embassy.  
"You don't need to know that."  
"Why does your government want Jackson dead."  
"You don't need to know that either, but I'll tell you he does not have my country's best interest at heart." 

"Well I am sorry about that, but as a government official I have confiscated an item from the Mayfield Hotel as evidence in a police investigation." 

"And I am a member of my country's diplomatic Corp in your country. My driver has just taken a photo of you. I will have no hesitation in sending your image to the newspapers and complain to your State Department."

Oliver knew the man was bluffing but he could prove an irritation to the Agency, and anyway he had no need to antagonize the man. Oliver removed the bottle from his pocket and flipped it up in the air. 

The diplomat caught it. "Wise decision," he said, stepping back into his car to be driven away.

Felicity stepped out of the hotel. "What was all that about?"  
"The Camilharan goverment demanding their property back."  
"Did you give it to them."  
"I had no choice. He put me on the spot."  
"Frak. Now we're back to square one." 

"No we're not." Oliver took one of two tablets out of his pocket and flipped it in the air.  
Felicity caught it. He grinned at her. 

**A.R.G.U.S Team Briefing**

"The tablets found in the Mayfield Penthouse was made out of cyanide and a highly toxic pollutant, undetectable once in the body. It would have killed Jackson within hours," Lyla informed the team.

Waller looked around the table. "So let me get this straight. We have two shooters on the 19th floor, one assassin in the elevator, poison in the penthouse and a foreign goverment has actually admitted to plotting to kill one of our businessmen? So who was working for whom?" 

"The Camilharan government is as guilty as hell but we can't pin anything on them," Oliver said. "We knew where, when and why. Now we have several who's and two possible how's and something doesn't add up." 

"I still say that Jackson is at the heart of this somewhere. What did the Higher Powers say Amanda?" Diggle asked.

"In a word I was told to back-off Jackson.  
The Camilharans have threatened to cancel our oil deals since the new government came to power but Jackson has acquired enough dirt on the new premier which will keep them onside, or his government will be destabilized." 

"So in essence we are protecting Jackson but nobody cares that four civilians are dead, a fifth will probably follow soon. And there are two, possibly three gunmen still at large," said Oliver. 

"Mr Diggle is right, we need to know what Jackson is up to," said a furious Waller. She hated being stymied by her bosses. "Oliver you and I will pay him a visit on the pretext of possible security breaches, to get an idea of the lay of the land.

"Mr Diggle go to the hospital and find out whether Villiers will die, if not we want to speak to him as soon as he wakes up, even before his wife." 

Felicity wanted to laugh. She felt on the verge of hysteria. Waller was such a hard ass. Who said something about the milk of human kindness? Waller was a machine. She was vicious.

"Mr Holt I need a backdoor into Jackson's private files and any other secret places. I want to know what he's saying to whom," Waller continued.

"Jackson's house boasts a 60-camera Hawkeye computer-controlled security system Ms Waller. The only way we can disable it is from within." 

"Not necessarily. Ms Smoak I believe this is where your skillset will come in useful. Perhaps you can help with that small problem." 

"Yes of course." Felicity responded. She wasn't too keen on revealing the full extent of her abilities, not yet, not now. That would be too exposing right now. 

"What about TPTB?" Diggle asked.

"That's my problem Mr Diggle. Right now I need to know what's going on behind closed doors." 

"Chapman needs to get to a safehouse and placed under 24hr guard" said Lyla. I'll arrange for security to do that."

"Why don't I do it Lyla. It'll give me an opportunity to see if I can get anything more out of him, use the feminine touch."

"Good idea Felicity. Go ahead."

Felicity suspected that Chapman heard what one of the gunmen said in the elevator. She had to talk to him alone. He hadn't given her up during the interview with Oliver. What was his game?

**A.R.G.U.S Safe House**

Before moving Chapman to the safehouse Felicity made sure his wrists were securely fastened with plasticuffs. She wasn't taking any chances. For all she knows he could have been sent after her too. 

On arrival at the safehouse Felicity shoved Chapman forward into the living room. He glared at her. "What's your problem?" 

She removed her gun and motioned him to sit in a chair. She took a length of rope from her pocket and threw it at his feet. Tie your ankles in a secure knot." 

"Or what? What will you do," he snarled, shoot me?" 

Felicity released the safety catch and pointed the gun at his head. "You better believe it." 

Chapman tied a pretty tight knot, even with his wrists bound. "Do you want to check it? And does that gun even work? I've never seen one like that?" 

Felicity made no response. She removed a longer length of rope from her bag and passed behind him. "Put your arms by your side," she ordered. Felicity double-looped the rope around Chapman and the chair, ending with a constrictor knot. 

Now facing Chapman her eyes met his. "Why didn't you tell him?"  
"Tell who what?"  
"Dont play stupid. Why didn't you tell my colleague what you heard in the elevator?"  
"I'm sorry, I don't know what you're...."  
"Don't bullshit me Chapman. What's your game?"

Just then Felicity's phone rang. It was Oliver.  
"Hey," she said, "everything okay?"

"Amanda and I are on our way to see Jackson. I just wanted to check in with you. Has Chapman said anything more?" 

"No nothing yet. I think he's a secret cross-dresser," she gave Chapman a dirty look. 

Oliver chuckled. "He's still on the hook, so see what more you can find out about his background. Take a cab and go home when you're done, make the driver waits until you're inside. You remember how to de-activate the alarm system?" 

"Yes sir," Felicity responded cheekily. 

A small smile etched Oliver's lips. Her sass was back. "I'll see you later then." He ended the call, acutely aware that Waller was listening. He quite liked the idea Felicity would be there when he got home. He'd get them some Thai takeout for dinner, but he had one more stop to make before that. 

Felicity turned back to Chapman. "Talk. What's your connection with Jackson? And don't lie like you did before. I found a photo of you at a social event at his home. Don't say it was business. You were in casual wear, holding a cocktail and looking laid back and perfectly at home." 

"Where did you find that?"

"I have my methods. You were the assassin in the elevator, weren't you." 

"No. But if I was, those two guys who came after you well and truly messed things up. Who were they? Look like Cartel to me. What have you got yourself mixed up in? Have you been a naughty girl? I can help you with that problem." 

"How?"  
"I have my methods." Chapman grinned at her.  
"And what do you get in return?"

"A quick clean exit back to Dubai, no questions asked and I won't say a word about what happened in the elevator. What did you do with the phone you took off that dead man's body." 

"None of your business. How do I know you'll do what you say?"

"I'll send you pictures if you like and I'm sure you will find the morgue with the bodies of two unidentifiable John Doe's.  
"You don't belong with spooks. Why don't you tag along with me?"

"I get you off this, and we'll go our separate ways." Felicity said.

"There's just one problem, my employers want me out of here asap or I'm a dead man. You have 24 hours to get me on a flight. I just need enough time to deal with your little problem. Better still, get us both on a flight. Do you want to always be looking over your shoulder for the rest of your life? You're like me. You'll never fit in with those people you're with."

Felicity played along with him. "I'll think about it." Chapman wouldn't take care of her problem. He'd given himself away on so many fronts already. Raoul and his people would never stop coming after her, in the quest for vengeance and retribution. She'd have to eliminate every last motherfucking one of them herself. 

"Look Chapman, you take care of my problem and I'll get you on a flight. I'm going to leave you a phone. Don't get excited. It only calls my number." 

"Who else would I want to call?" 

"Good. We understand each other. So I'll leave you in peace now. Goodnight Mr Chapman." Felicity picked up her bag, removed a cell and pushed it in his pocket. "I'll be in touch in the morning." 

"You're leaving me like this, tied up?"

She grinned at him. "Your minders are outside. As soon as I step out the door they'll come in and will untie you if you ask nicely. You'll hear from me tomorrow." 

"I'm relying on you to keep your word to get me out of here."

"Of course," she said, "we only have each other now." 

***

After his visit to the hospital to check on Villiers, the sixth man in hospital in a Coma, Diggle called Lyla.

"Villier's wife was in the hospital when I got there. I don't think she's left his side. He's 90 per cent brain dead but she's not ready to turn off his life support. She told me he was on the phone to her when the attack took place. She heard the shots. Do we have his phone?" 

"No. He didn't have a phone on him. I'll get his call records from the phone company." 

"Good. I'll see you in a while. I want to go over some stuff I found on Jackson. I think he is into some shady business dealings other than oil. He makes an excessive number of trips to Bogota. Why?" 

"I guess we are in for a long night then," said Lyla. See you when you get here." 

***

Felicity had mixed feelings as she climbed the spiral staircase in Oliver's home. There was a feeling of despair but also a warm sense of belonging, with him. But this might be the last night they spend together, and tomorrow her last day with A.R.G.U.S. 

This was not how she envisaged it would end when she first spotted him on Toamasina Docks a lifetime ago because that's how long it seemed. They had already been through so much together. But her life had taken a downward spiral and she had no idea how tomorrow would end. 

Whoever Chapman is working for, he was involved up to his neck in this whole assassination business and she was going to take him down. There was just one problem. To do that she must come clean with A.R.G.U.S and that would bring about her downfall. 

And what about Oliver, how would he react? She had deceived them all by omission. 

She had no choice. It was time to face the consequences of her youthful naiveté. She was tired of running.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The two clues in that chapter were 1) the two gunmen in the lift were after Felicity. 2) It has something to do with Cartels.
> 
> [For any readers following BRIEF INTERLUDE an update will appear by the weekend. There's an unexpected surprise.]


	10. The Green Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity and Oliver spend a domesticated evening together. They both want to make it a memorable time but for very different reasons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oliver has reached a new and interesting place with Felicity. He's already broken several of his own rules for her.

Felicity smiled, enjoying the domesticity of the scene. She wanted this. Just for tonight she wanted to forget everything except him. Them. 

Since the incident at the Mayfield Hotel there had been a subtle shift in his manner towards her. He was warmer and definitely less grumpy.

They were seated at the dining table for their evening meal, helping themselves from various cartons containing spicy shrimp soup, fried rice, tasty tofu cubes, rice noodles stir-fried with fresh prawns, chicken in rich red curry sauce, and seasonal green veggies. 

He was just adorable when he'd pulled out her chair then placed a linen napkin on her lap, bending down to kiss her cheek. 

They laughed and teased and fed each other, like a newly-wed couple. 

"So what did you find out about Jackson?" She naturally segued into their shared world of work. 

"That he is a nasty piece of work, who thinks that bribery is a natural and essential part of the oil business. While his little lapdog sat at his elbow. I hope Mueller insists on earning top lapdog rates. Do you know he had the audacity to sneer at us?" 

Felicity giggled. "Who? Jackson or the lapdog?"

"Both. Jackson has done well out of oil. The pile he lives in would probably house the homeless of the entire country.  
"Apparently there's a separate entrance to the Jacksons' private residence. That's the part of the house we need to get into."

"Wait. What? Jackson has a private residence inside his own house?"

Oliver kept his face perfectly straight. "Yep. What's wrong with that? The President has the same thing in the White House."

Felicity stared at him with incredulity. Well he may use the same table linen as high-end Arab niche hotels, but this was a step too far. Oliver couldn't stop the twitches. He raised an eyebrow at her and they both burst into laughter.

Oliver stopped laughing first. This. He missed this. Spontaneous expressions of mirth or joy. He'd forgotten that existed. He hadn't had this in forever, and he wanted it. "Do you think you can help Curtis breach the security in the private residence. That's where we'll find out about Jackson's dirty little secrets?" 

"Already on it. I've shown him how to remotely control and or disable individual cameras." 

"Felicity? That's not possible. How do you do that remotely?"

"Easy Oliver. But if I tell you how, I'll have to kill you. What do you think the boss lady meant by wanting different skillsets at A.R.G.U.S, and why do you think she sent me with you to find Hollio. 

"Yeah. I know. You're a genius and probably better than Hollio." 

"You're a quick learner handsome." She winked at him. "But you'll have to find some pretext to get inside Jackson's private sanctum on comms to plant some eyes and ears." 

Oliver grinned. "A piece of cake. After the incident at the Mayfield and his paranoia about security, we'll have no difficulty persuading him to let us test his equipment with the latest NSA tech or something. I'm sure you'll know the appropriate turn of phrase for us to use. I'll get on it with Digg and Curtis first thing. 

"What about Chapman, did you get anything useful out of him?"

Felicity stood up and took their wine glasses. "Come," she said, "let's sit over there for a while, then I'll help clear up." 

She needed a minute to gather her thoughts. She needed one more night with him. So she edited her conversation with Chapman. Tomorrow he'd know more then they would go their separate ways.

Still sitting at the dining table, Oliver watched her in those short shorts and skimpy pink tank top, her blond hair done in a single plait. Whatever she wore, she looked gorgeous. She both belonged in his home and seemed incongruous, not anything to do with her, but because of how he envisaged his life. 

Tonight was so different compared to last night. She was not quite her usual ebullient self, but much less tense. He wished she would talk to him about what weighed on her so heavily.

Felicity glanced over her shoulder at him. "Come on, bring the bottle."  
He got up and joined her on the couch. 

"Oliver I think Chapman is a double agent. I think he works for both the Camilharan government and Jackson." 

"Well that puts a different slant on things. Seriously? What makes you say that?" 

"You're right, he's shifty, and shady. Says what he thinks you want to hear, or what he thinks will get him what he wants. It's people like him who made me want to leave the private sector.  
"I found a photo of him in Jackson's house at a social gathering, but he told _you_ he didn't know and had never met the billionaire. You can be sure if there's crooked money involved Chapman will be too. There's nothing straight about that guy. 

"He also told me his employers want him out of the country as soon as possible or he's a dead man. That's a weird thing to say. What employers, plural, is he referring to? I don't think it's his employer in Dubai. Why would they want to kill him more to the point.  
I believe Chapman is the assassin working either for Jackson or the Camilharans, even both. Wouldn't put it past him to play both ends, depending on which opportunity appeared first, so he can take the money and run."

"I can believe all of that." Oliver looked at her with admiration. "We'll let him think he's got away with it but track him, see what he does next. But what about the French ex-Marine and the two who shot up the elevator? Where does that leave them?" 

Felicity shrugged. "I don't know. May be some double dealing going on," she said, aware of her own subterfuge. "I think Digg is right, Jackson is the key to it all." 

She was sure the billionaire was linked to Cortez. They were birds of a feather. If only she could put them together. A little idea was forming in her mind.

"Well hopefully we'll have a handle on it as soon as we can listen in," Oliver said getting up. He moved back to the dining table and began to clear up.

"Hey, I said I'd help." 

"Come on then. What would you like to do for the rest of the evening?" He knew exactly what he wanted to do but he'd follow her lead for now. 

"For a start I want to know what you have in those boxes you brought home. Are they presents for me?" She eyed the three gift-wrapped boxes. She was certain the biggest contained shoes. 

"Little Miss Nosey. Why would I buy you presents? You're not my girlfriend." 

"Yeah. Nor likely to be since we know you don't do those, but maybe you buy gifts for sex partners." 

Oliver chuckled. "I've never done that in my entire life."  
"So who are they for?"  
"Maybe for me. I buy myself gifts every now and then you know." He grinned at her facial expression. 

They cleared up, then she persuaded him to watch some television with her. Another experience for her virtual memory box. 

It was not something he normally did except for significant sporting events, then he usually watched with Digg. But if she wanted to, he would for her. Life was certainly different with her around, less lonely. It was also nice to share a meal with someone other than Lyla and Digg.

Oliver sat back in the couch, an arm stretched along the back behind her. He studied her profile. She really was a beautiful woman. And she made him happy, with her quaint ways. She also shared a major proportion of his life. 

Happy. That was a word he hadn't used since the night he watched Sara being taken away, swallowed by the churning waters, screaming out his name, her arms outstretched reaching for him before she disappeared. He hadn't been able to save her.

Then Sara came back. Oliver closed his eyes, remembering. Happy was not a state he experienced, or ever hoped to. 

Until now.  
Until Felicity Smoak.

He looked forward to finding her in his home tonight. She made him happy. He was surprised by that admission. Was it real or transitory? She had already wormed her way beneath his barricades and that's what he was afraid of. He didn't want to feel or he'd fall apart. Feelings were unwelcomed. 

Absent mindedly Oliver's hand came to rest on her back and his thumb stroked the exposed skin on her shoulder. 

"Hey," her tone was soft but insistent, calling him back to the present. His eyes focused on her. "Where did you go?" 

"I'm right here baby, with you," he assured her. 

His voice was soft and seductive and her body responded. She was aware that he was not really interested in watching TV and was humouring her. Tired of channel hopping, Felicity put the remote down. The only show she found of vague interest was a repeat episode of _Friends._

She snuggled up closer to him, a hand palmed his face. He had left her for a moment, she'd felt it. Just as she could feel his innate sadness that bubbled up to the surface at various times. "Oliver," she whispered." 

He gazed down at her and smiled. He knew what she wanted. He wanted it too. To drown in her body, to forget in her body. He placed a finger beneath her chin and lifted her face. Their lips met in a soft kiss until she wrapped her arms round his neck. 

Oliver pulled back and stared at her.  
"What?" she asked.

He bent down and nibbled her ear. "I want to take you to the Green room," he whispered. 

Felicity moved her head back and stared at him. "The Green room? Is that like your playroom?" 

Oliver grinned. "If you like."

"Why Green? Why not red, much more apt, or even a dark room," she grinned. 

"No. Green is for Rejuvenation, Restoration, Relaxation and Recreation."  
"Or even Re-greening and Rebirth," she giggled.  
"Exactly. Will you come?"  
"Yes," she said softly. 

Oliver picked up the gift-wrapped boxes and held his hand out to her. Felicity smiled and took his hand. She was excited. 

Upstairs was laid out in an L-shape with three doors. He took her to the room on the shortest arm, punched a number on the keypad and opened the door. Switching on the lights, he ushered her in. 

Felicity gasped. This was not what she was expecting. It was indeed a Green room, a very beautiful room.

The wallpaper depicted a forest with tall trees reaching for the sky, sunlight dappling through branches. The windows were covered by dark green venetian blinds. A cupboard and chest of drawers of light oak matched the floor boards. The only light came from standard lamps casting a warm golden glow in the room. 

There was a huge bed, dressed in green and white. A leather chair upholstered in green reminded her of the kind used by gynaecologists, but larger. Felicity giggled. She hated those chairs but she was certain she'd like this one, it was the size of a single bed with levers at the base. Cuffs hung on chains from the ceiling and there were corresponding silver rings embedded in the flooring.  


There was a silence and peacefulness about the room, which pleased her senses. It enticed her and Felicity felt her body relaxing, attuning to the room. This was her room, it welcomed her. She would be the first to partake in the as yet undisclosed pleasures it promised. 

She was so ready for this. She needed it. She wanted to inhabit this world, with him, remaining for a time blissfully oblivious to her real world and the demons and ghosts that lurked there.

"May I," she asked. 

"Of course." Oliver leaned back against the door watching her. 

Felicity walked around the room examining everything. She bounced on the bed then tried the chair with a grin on her face. It was not too difficult to imagine how they would use it. She opened various drawers. She found an assortment of chiffon scarfs, vibrators, wrist and ankle restraints, nipple clamps, bondage ropes of varying colours, tape of different widths, harnesses, collars, butt plugs and other paraphernalia she didn't recognise. 

In the cupboard she found different types of crops, ticklers, floggers, whips and paddles. She turned to look at him. 

"I know what you're thinking," Oliver said. "But I don't do pain, not really. I'd never use any of those to hurt you. It's all about pleasure and anticipation. Although I will chastise you in a mild manner if necessary, especially when you don't follow instructions. I like to control Felicity, you know that, you told me so.  
If you are unhappy about anything we do in here, you just have to say. I assume you have used safe words before." 

"Of course."  
"Good. What would you like to use?"  
"Red. And yellow if you're getting too close to a line. I don't do anal but I don't mind a butt plug." 

Oliver nodded. "Okay. Anything else?"  
"No, I don't think so. It's clear you're not into the ultra kink and fetishes of the BDSM dungeon world." 

"No, I'm not. Just pleasurable sex."  
"Good. Neither am I." 

"I have one further request Felicity. I prefer to not use condoms. I have a doctor's certificate of clean health. It's a month old but I will get another one done. I'll use a condom tonight. I assume you practice birth control?" 

"Why Oliver, that sounds very much like you're proposing a semi-permanent relationship."  
"What if I am?"  
"Then I'd like you to get on one knee and formally propose that to me."  
He raised an eyebrow. "Are you serious? I will if that's what you want."  
Felicity laughed. "No silly. I don't want, but you need to get when I'm teasing you."  
"I don't think I ever will. You are so fucking unpredictable." 

Felicity laughed. "I accept Oliver. And yes, I use birth control and I'll get a certificate of sexual health too." _Such a shame it will be short-lived. I get what I want but cannot keep it._

Oliver moved to put the three boxes in her arms. "These are for you. Whenever I ask you to go to the Green room, the code is two-zero-zero-two. I'd like you to put these on, then kneel on the floor, head bowed waiting for me. Will you do that for me Felicity?" 

It wasn't a command. It sounded like a request she could refuse. A pleading? She wasn't sure. "Yes Sir," she said softly, looking down to the floor. 

She would do most things for him. Her heart ached. He said _whenever I ask you_ , and this was....she couldn't bear thinking about it. No. She would live in the moment. Here with him. In the now. 

He lifted her chin with his forefinger and gazed down into her eyes; his held an unfathomable expression. "Thank you. I'm going to leave you to change. Okay?" 

She nodded. "Yes Sir." He gave her a soft smile. 

When he'd gone Felicity moved to the bed with the three boxes wrapped in soft lilac paper tied with deep blue ribbons. She unwrapped the biggest box to find a pair of black leather sandals with 5-inch heels, an ankle strap and another across the toes. Very elegant. Handsome certainly had fine taste. Expensive. 

The second box in size contained half a dozen pairs of panties made of the finest black lace. Felicity held one up and laughed. They had no crotch. The third and smallest box contained a black satin eye mask.

Felicity smiled. This was exactly where her imagination had taken her the first time she saw him. Sadly, this might be the first and last time they'd share this experience. She shook her head. _No Smoak I told you not to think about that._

When Felicity was ready she knelt on the floor and sat back on her haunches. She felt like a wood nymph in Oliver's Green room. Felicity grinned, put her eye mask on and clasped her hands behind her back. She bowed her head and waited for him. 

Her heart rate spiked and she swallowed nervously in anticipation when she heard him enter the room.

Oliver stood still and watched her. God she was beautiful. Just perfect. Just what he wanted, needed right now. His dick was already extended outward. 

He moved.

Felicity's own head movement was imperceptible. With sight curtailed, her ears were the only guide to what was happening around her. 

Oliver turned the lights down low and pulled up the blinds to let the moonlight stream into the room. The stars flickered high above. Felicity heard a soft clinking sound, then a dull thud. He was moving things around. 

Then silence. 

Felicity became aware of his presence close to her. She could hear his breathing. 

She waited.

Oliver placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently. Despite the gentleness of the touch, his calloused fingertips braised her skin and she felt the adrenalin-surge in her body. Her extremities tingled in anticipation. The longer his hand remained on her skin, the more her body reacted to it. She was glowing. She knew he was watching her. 

Boy, he knew how to ratchet up the anticipation. There was just pure excitation. Soft pants pushed through her lips and she caught her lower lip between her teeth to stop herself from moaning. God, the power of his touch on her body had already sent her into a tailspin. She ached for him but knew it would be some time before she'd get what she really needed. 

"Relax Felicity," he whispered in her ear. His tongue touched the shell of her ear, his breath warm on her skin. "Your sensory perceptions are heightened, give in to them and just experience." His voice was hypnotic. 

Dear god, he was already driving her crazy. Was she going to survive the night? 

Oliver bent down in front of her, placed both hands on her arms and gently propelled her up to a standing position. He took both her hands in his.

Do you trust me Felicity?"

"Yes," she whispered, shivering a little.

Holding both her hands behind her back with one of his, Oliver kissed her softly at first. Then angled his head and captured her lips. His mouth moved over hers drawing tiny little noises from the back of her throat. His hand roamed her body as his tongue demanded entry. 

She opened for him in wanton surrender. She wanted him to take all of her. She whimpered her need. 

Oliver gently palmed a breast and flicked his thumb over her swollen nipple causing Felicity to hiss. He took the hard pebble into the warm confines of his mouth and gently sucked on it. 

Felicity moaned with pleasure, her head fell back exposing inviting soft creamy skin. Oliver's hand caressed the skin on her throat, his thumb smeared her lips before moving to massage her other breast, rolling the nipple between thumb and forefinger. When he released the nipple held hostage in his mouth and blew on it, the clash of wetness, heat and air sent a jolt to her very core. Felicity shuddered in ecstasy, her juices flowed down her thighs. 

Fuck. She realised this was only the tip of the iceberg, and she was in for a long night of being pleasured at his pace. She was his willing prisoner and he would do with her body as he wished.

"Do you want this Ms Smoak?"  
"Fuck yes," Felicity said, panting, rubbing her thighs together.  
"Excuse me?"  
"Yes Sir. Please. I want this." She swallowed and waited.

Silence.

Oliver released her hands and moved her body to resettle her into a new place. He raised her arm and shackled her wrist, elbow slightly bent. She heard the lock click into place. He did the same with her other arm. 

"Are you comfortable Ms Smoak?" 

"Yes Sir," she moaned softly. 

Oliver was pretty sure she had been in a playroom before but he didn't know how much she could take. He would go slowly and softly with her tonight. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was the Green Room. So, do you want to stay with them or are you anxious to move on to Felicity's backstory.
> 
> Up to you. Reader's choice! 🙃😉


	11. Exposure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plans doesn't go quite as expected and things look bleak for Felicity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd written two different beginnings for this chapter. Would you believe that I somehow managed to delete the continuation Green room piece (majority of 3/5). Unbelievable. I was gutted. I was in the zone too and it just flowed. Then I lost it. Try as I might I've been unable to recapture the flow. It remains forced and sterile. I had to abandon it. It will return once I stop 'trying' but something completely different will emerge. 
> 
> Sorry guys. Hopefully there'll be time to play at some point.
> 
> For now we're moving on with Felicity's backstory. It's a little angsty.

Felicity and Oliver's long night in the Green room ended with him carrying her back to his bedroom and into his bed. Both totally sated, they immediately fell into a dreamless sleep.

Oliver was awake the following morning at his usual hour of 0530. He followed his normal routine. He'd either go for a run or spend time in the training room. It was a salmon ladder day. 

By the time he returned to tidy up the Green Room and then shower, Felicity was still asleep. He decided not to wake her, and dressed for work. She'd had an emotionally draining couple of days and needed her rest.

In the kitchen Oliver ate a banana and an apple, made himself some toast and drank two cups of coffee. He wrote Felicity a note then made a call to Diggle and Curtis before leaving for the Grid. 

***

There was a grin on Felicity's face before she even opened her eyes. She yawned and gave a contented hum, allowing her body to transit from sleep to full conscious awareness. It was still reverberating with memory of the totally amazing night she and Oliver had spent in the Green room. 

Felicity stretched and opened her eyes to be met with an unfamiliar view. Her head spun round to the other side of the bed expecting to find Oliver beside her. That would be the only explanation, she was in his bed and he was asleep next to her.

She was alone and his side of the bed, if he'd ever been in it, was empty and cold, but there was a note on the pillow. 

_Thank you for the most glorious night I've ever spent. I'd like to do it again soon. I've left you to sleep because you need it. I want to get an early start with what we discussed about Jackson. Text me a note on the most plausible thing to say to him about why we need to check out his security. Take your time coming in. I'll see you on the Grid later. Oliver._

Felicity kissed the note and held it to her heart. If she wasn't careful she would fall in love with the man and probably get her heart broken. No. That mustn't happen. 

She opened her eyes and looked around his room. It was minimalist just like the rest of the house. Wooden floor with plain off-white walls. The huge windows were covered by roman blinds in a rich deep bronze colour. The theme of bronze and off white was picked up in the cushions and throw for the bed. The few pieces of furniture in the room were eye-catching. There was a two-seater leather sofa in the same soft harvest gold colour of the walls downstairs, and a couple of books were on the coffee table beside it. 

There was a narrow shelf-like table on which sat a wooden carving of two adults, probably parents with two children in front of them, a boy and a girl. Each parent had a hand on the shoulder of each child.

Felicity got out of the bed and picked up the carving. It was exquisitely done. She wondered who the people were. Was it just a random thing he'd bought somewhere or was it a specially commissioned representation of his family? Parents and sister. And was it the girl's room she occupied downstairs? 

There were two further doors in the room. She opened them to find a bathroom and a dressing room.

Felicity tipped toed outside completely naked. She had no idea why she was tip toeing, maybe guilt at prying into his life, although not into anything really private. She couldn't resist taking a look into the Green room again, the room of bliss as last night had been. She tapped in the code and entered. It was exactly as she'd seen it the first time. He'd obviously been in to air the room and tidy it up. She left the room and closed the door behind her.

Felicity passed Oliver's bedroom, went to the third room and tried the door. It was locked. What secrets were concealed beyond. There was a mystery surrounding Oliver Jensen, she knew it. She will never find out because she'd never be in this house again after today. 

That thought galvanized Felicity into action. She had things to do like setting up a search to find Jackson and Scarface together somewhere. Cortez no longer had the scar though, he probably had cosmetic surgery that's why she wasn't sure it was him the first time she'd spotted him on the Monrovia Star. She'd seen him in old man Mendoza's office often enough.

Felicity hurried to make Oliver's bed after which she went downstairs to prepare for her day. A day she wished she didn't have to face. She found the clothes she had on last night neatly folded on the bed. 

Felicity sent Oliver a text then showered and packed her things, leaving her bags by the door. She took her tablet and hit the kitchen looking for breakfast. Coffee and a muffin would do.

***

Having successfully planted bugs inside Jackson's private residence, Oliver was surprised to find Felicity's workstation empty. He was looking forward to seeing her and hoped their nocturnal activities had not knocked her out. 

Green room activities were always exhilarating for him, even if he slept afterwards, it was usually a good and restful night sleep with no nightmares. He woke feeling refreshed and rested. Last night had the extra dimension of a deep tenderness he felt for Felicity. Her response to him was mind-blowing and he couldn't wait for a repeat performance. 

Even his rule of not sleeping with anyone had gone out the window. They'd curled into each other's bodies, limbs entwined, all night. That really surprised him. The last person he'd done that with was Laurel, a hundred years ago. 

He thought she'd be in by now. He wanted her to tell the others of her suspicions about Chapman before he discussed the sting he had in mind to flush him out. 

Oliver's attention was drawn to a knock on the glass wall of Waller's office, where she and Lyla had been ensconced since he and Diggle got back. She beckoned to them both.  
"Come in gentlemen. Close the door and take a seat." Waller's face looked none too pleased.  
Lyla looked up at him a little apologetically.

"Lyla and I have been going over events of the last couple of days and we've discovered some troubling discrepancies," Waller said.

Lyla took over. "The two gunmen who attacked the elevator could not have gotten away, we had the hotel cordoned off in minutes. Oliver you were coming up the stairs so they didn't go that way. The only conclusion to be drawn is that they had rooms on the 19th floor.

She continued. "The police never recovered Villiers' phone and assumed he didn't have one, but we now know he did. His wife told John they were talking when the gunmen attacked and she could hear the gun shots." 

"So someone must have taken it before I got there. Chapman," said Oliver.

"No. The police searched him before he was removed from the hotel."

"So who took it?"

"Villiers phone company was able to retrieve a recording of the conversation he and his wife were having when the shooting began. Listen:

**Villiers' voice** : _Marta listen, I'm stuck in the elevator at the Mayfield Hotel, could you call..."_

**Villiers' voice cuts off. There's static on the line followed by the sound of a continuous spray of bullets. Another voice speaks:**

_¿Está muerta? Viene alguien. Vamos rápidos._

Lyla translated: "Is she dead? Someone's coming. Quick let's go." 

Oliver looked at Lyla confused. "That's Spanish and he's talking about Felicity. Those bastards were trying to kill her."

Oliver passed a hand across his brow. This was the cause of her distress. Why didn't she tell him? But who wanted her dead and why. Oliver looked at Lyla seeking answers, not expecting any. He looked into her eyes. She is trying to communicate something to him. Regret? Apology?  
"What's going on Lyla?"

"There are no Hispanics on my lists so I doubled checked with the hotel. Two people, obviously registered under false names, checked in the day before and checked out the morning after the shooting once everyone had been cleared.  
When I checked with the airport, the two had departed for Columbia with false passports. Their real names are Carlos Cordoba and Raoul Mendoza. The latter is the eldest son of Tito Mendoza, head of a crime family trading in guns and drugs. Someone had removed their names from my computer." 

"What? Who? Any connections to Jackson?"

"This is a photograph of an American woman who three and a half years ago either lived on the Mendoza compound or was a frequent visitor." Lyla put a photo on the table and pushed it towards Oliver. 

He picked up the photograph and stared at the face of Felicity Smoak, except that she had long black hair. He would recognise those distinctly shaped lips anywhere. 

Diggle who was looking over his shoulder gasped. "Is that Felicity? It can't be."

Oliver looked at Lyla unable to speak.

Just then Felicity entered the Grid and went to her workstation, unaware of the firestorm about to explode around her.

All eyes turned to look at her. Felicity looked up and stared straight into Oliver's piercing blue eyes. She gave him a smile but the expression on his face told her something was badly wrong. Did they find out before she had the opportunity to tell her story? The smile faded from her face. She couldn't take her eyes away from him. She knew that look. Angry and accusatory. He beckoned her into the room.

"Sit down Ms Smoak," Waller said when she entered. Her voice was cold and devoid of emotion.

"We know Felicity," Lyla said. "We know of your connections with the Mendoza crime family and the two shooters in the elevator."

"I'm so sorry. I was coming in this morning to tell you." She looked at Oliver. His face was devoid of expression, his blue eyes flints of ice. They pinned her in place. 

"What exactly were you going to tell us Ms Smoak?" Waller asked.

"I met Teresa Mendoza at MIT. She introduced me to her brother Eduardo. He was charming and very attentive. I had just broken up from a disastrous relationship, and flirted with him. After graduation Teresa invited me to take a break and stay with her family. I ended up staying for a year and was accepted as Eduardo's girlfriend.

"I was young and naïve. When Eduardo asked me to use my tech skills to help improve the family business, I readily agreed, believing they dealt in the import and export of all types of foods and cleaning materials you'd find in any local store." She bit her lip and looked nervously around at the faces, all eyes were glued to hers. Her gaze rested on Oliver. She desperately wanted him to believe her.

"Then you discovered it was a cover for the export of drugs and import of ammunitions." Amanda Waller's voice felt like a scalpel, cutting. 

Felicity nodded. "By then I was being treated as Eduardo's property and kept constantly under guard. One night he tried to rape me. I stabbed him and managed to escape. Since then the family has sent their hit men after me. This time it was Raoul, Eduardo's elder brother. 

"I dyed my hair and managed to keep one step ahead until Javier Cortez spotted me on the Monrovia. He was a frequent visitor to the Mendoza's compound. He did their shipping. Cortez would have told the family and they tracked me down. I have no idea how. I thought I'd covered my tracks pretty well."

"So that's how you knew about the submersibles." Felicity nodded miserably. "Any thing else you wish to tell us Ms Smoak?" Waller enquired.

"That's the truth, I swear. I'm trying to find evidence that Jackson is involved in Cortez's business and that's how the gunmen knew I would be at the Mayfield hotel." Her eyes returned to Oliver, pleading for understanding. He stared straight through her.

"I think Felicity is right about Jackson and Cortez, Amanda. Jackson has a high volume of trips to Bogota in the past year, the nearest international airport to Camilahara," said John. "Felicity I'm sure if you targeted your search around that area, you would find something."

Felicity nodded. Her eyes thanked him, she was already doing just that. Digg was the only one of the four showing any empathy and suggesting he believed her.

Waller completely ignored the intervention from Diggle. "We could have been chasing the killers of five men Ms Smoak, instead you caused us to waste valuable time pursuing false leads while you removed evidence to deliberately mislead the team, and subverted a criminal investigation." 

"I know," Felicity whispered softly. "I'm so, so sorry. I feared for my life and was petrified. I wasn't thinking straight. It was an awful thing to do. All I could think about was there were people out to kill me, and I...I thought..." 

"What exactly did you think Ms Smoak. Did you think about how you were helping terrorists?"

Waller's tone and words cut her to the quick. Felicity bit her bottom lip. "I...they tried to kill me before and I...I'm so sorry, I didn't see it like that. I know it appears like that to you but...but I felt trapped, I didn't set out to...I'm so sorry. Amanda I love my job, the work we do here. I'd like to think I'm good at it." The tears were running down her cheeks. She wiped them away with the back of her hand. "I thought...."

Curtis knocked on the door and pushed his head inside. "I think you should listen to this, one of the bugs has just picked up a conversation between Jackson and someone."

Waller glared at Felicity. "You stay here."

Oliver was the last one to leave. At the door he turned to look at her with something akin to sadness in his eyes. It broke Felicity's heart. _He thinks I've betrayed him. In a way I have._

The team gathered around Curtis' workstation.

**Unknown Male:** _The ZDX has arrived._

**Jackson:** _Confirm the venue for the handover. Tell them six o'clock._

**Unknown Male:** _They are nervous given what happened at the Mayfield and want you to pick up the parcel in person._

**Jackson:** _Offer them an extra 100K. That should calm them down a bit. We need to move with speed. I'll want you to fly to Camilahara tonight, give our friend the ZDX. He'll know what to do. After the attack brief the press those responsible came from the rebels hiding out in the mountains. They have infiltrated the new regime. The army can then move in and seize the presidential palace. Their priority is to secure our pipelines and refineries._

_Next get a message through to Cortez. Tell him his little bird in the elevator is still alive. Junior missed his target._

**Recording ends.**

"Good god. We're protecting a psychopath," said Waller. "ZDX is a deadly nerve agent. It has been used in some places to obliterate entire towns and villages. This is an orchestrated coup designed just to keep the oil taps turned on. 

"You three I want a plan to shut this down but quietly. Jackson dines in high places. If the world's media gets hold of this, our relationship with our near neighbours will be shattered, probably with the rest of the world too." 

Oliver heard very little of that. The only thing resonating in his brain was the thought that Felicity's life is still in danger. "Amanda, Felicity found a photo of Chapman in Jackson's house, after he told us in interview that he didn't know the man. Maybe we can use him to expose Jackson."

"So what's the plan? I assume we still have Chapman in a safe-house?"

"Yes, we do. After her interview with him yesterday, Felicity believes he might be a double agent working for the Camilahara government and Jackson. We'll probably find that Jackson hired him to kill the ex-marine but the goons after Felicity did his job for him." 

"And why am I only hearing about all of this now?"

"Because I was waiting for Felicity to come in and give you full details herself before this other thing came up. Amanda I believe her. We must protect her, she's still in danger." 

Waller gave him a withering look. "If Ms Smoak is correct then Chapman will know more than he's letting on. We need whatever information he has."

Oliver looked at Felicity and back to Waller. "We need her for this. She got much more out of Chapman than I did. She got him to let his guard down yesterday." 

"Fine. But just this once. Then she's gone. There's no place here for betrayal." 

Oliver strode back into Waller's office. "Ms Smoak."

Felicity's heart sank even further. He had reverted to formal. She knew there was no coming back from this for them. She raised her head and her eyes met his cold blue ones. Was this the same man who touched her so tenderly last night, then made love to her, something he said he didn't do?

"If you are correct about Chapman then he may have information we need. We have to deceive the deceiver. Will you do it?"

He stared at her. _Tell him his little bird in the elevator is still alive. Junior missed his target._ It was playing on a loop in his head. He'd hoped. He'd been ready to try...this was the woman with whom he thought there might just be a chance that...

Oliver closed his eyes and opened them again. His whole world had suddenly turned bleak once more. "Felicity I want you to go and see Chapman and tell him he is being released. Tell him we'll give him safe passage to wherever he wants to go. Can you do that?"

"Oliver I was planning to tell you, the team, everything today. About me, the Mendozas. Everything. You must believe that. I'd decided after seeing Chapman yesterday that I had to come clean. I got him to believe I would secure his release today and gave him a phone which only connects to my number. I was coming to work up a plan with the team but it seems you all got there before me." She gave him a rueful little smile. 

"Why should I believe you Felicity. You had the opportunity to tell me all this last night and you deliberately chose not to." 

"I know," she said softly. "I just wanted to have one last evening with you before I had to see the contempt in your eyes that I'm seeing now. I won't ask for your understanding or your forgiveness because I know I betrayed you and there is no coming back from that. But I want to thank you for offering me the shelter and protection of your home. I can't repay you for that. My bags are already packed. You'll never have to see me again." She was struggling to hold back the tears. 

"Call Chapman now," Oliver said. It wasn't contempt she was seeing in his eyes but she'd never know that. 

Felicity nodded. She called Chapman and put the phone on loudspeaker.

"I've arranged your release."  
_I knew you'd deliver._

"I'll pick you up in half an hour and take you wherever you wish to go."  
_And my offer to you?_

"I'm leaning towards acceptance."  
_I thought you might._

Felicity ended the call and looked at Oliver.

"Good. Come with me," he said, getting up and heading towards the door.

"Felicity and I are going to Chapman's safe house ostensibly to escort him safely to wherever he wants to go," Oliver announced to the huddled team. "John you'll be second tail in case he pulls a fast one. 

"I want a 24-hour watch on Jackson's mansion. If he or any of his people make a move, we bring them in." Oliver looked at Waller who nodded agreement.

Oliver turned to Felicity. "Let's go."


	12. Reprieve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The conclusion of the oil mogul saga as Amanda Waller takes a hand, and Oliver stands in Felicity's corner.

Chapman paced up and down waiting impatiently for Felicity. He wasn't sure he trusted her. She was a counter-terrorism agent after all. He looked up and down the street through the window, and that's when he spotted them.  
Two men, one he felt certain he recognised. A big man with broad shoulders. He was in the hospital where he'd been taken under police guard for a check-up after the shooting. They were Camilaharan spies watching him, but how did they find out where he was? 

Chapman moved some distance away from his two minders and made a call.  
"Get me Jackson, the Camilaharans have found me." 

_Mr Jackson is not available. He says he's sorry. He believes you have been compromised,_ Hansie Mueller informed him. 

"You set me up."  
Chapman moved the phone from his ear and stared at it. The line had gone dead. The bastards. They'd double-crossed him. And he only received half his fee. He knew he hadn't completed the job. The Cartel had. Same difference. The Frenchman was dead. 

A few minutes later the front door opened and Oliver and Felicity walked into the safe house. Chapman's face blanched when he saw Oliver. He'd been expecting just the woman. He'd been right not to trust her. He just hoped she'd kept her word otherwise he was going to drop her in it. 

"Mr Chapman we've identified the assassin. You're free to return home to Dubai. There's a taxi waiting," Oliver informed him.

"Thank you. Thanks very much. But I thought she said I'd be escorted. I'm going to the airport and need safe passage." 

"No problem. My colleague and I will escort you if you wish." Oliver moved away to talk with the minders. 

Chapman picked up his bags and glanced at Felicity on his way to the door.

"You really don't know me. You were arrogant to think you did," she whispered.  
"Hope this is not a double-cross," he whispered back going out to his taxi.

Oliver switched on to comms. "This is Alpha One. Target is on the move. Will follow.  
Curtis any signs of activity with Jackson?"

Curtis intercepted the camera at the main entrance to Jackson's mansion. "Just the wife going to her golf lesson. No sign of Jackson or his entourage."

Now following Chapman, Oliver spotted the same black limousine that had blocked his way outside the Mayfield hotel in the rear view mirror. "Lyla, the Camilaharans are behind us following Chapman." 

"How did they find him?" 

"Jackson must have tipped them off. Digg was right. We now know Chapman was the shooter hired by Jackson to kill the ex-marine sent by the Camilharans. He's being set up as the fall guy, and we have no idea where the transaction is taking place," said Oliver. 

Curtis was there anyone else in the wife's car?"  
"No. Just her and the driver."

"In Iraq important dignitaries would sometimes be disguised as the driver," Felicity volunteered. "Maybe Jackson is the driver."

"Curtis where is the wife's golf lesson?"  
"At the Buffalo Hills Golf Club."

"Alpha One heading to Golf Club. Check in Alpha 2."  
"I'm on it Alpha One. Go."  
Oliver turned off the highway and heads for the Golf Club. 

"This is Delta One. I'll meet you at the Club Alpha One," Waller's voice chimed in.  
"Copy that Delta One." 

**Buffalo Hills Golf Club**

At the Club Justina Jackson's driver removes a bag from the trunk and follows her into the Clubhouse. He disappears into the gents' changing room and re-emerges as Robert Jackson. 

On her way to the Club Amanda Waller calls her immediate boss. "I just wanted you to know that I'm about to stop a bloody coup in Camilahara and the massacre of innocent people, which will not bode well for us. Your dear friend Robert Jackson is in the thick of it, in an attempt to keep the oil taps on. He has acquired the nerve agent ZXD which is being flown to Camilahara tonight." 

Good god, is the man insane? Are you sure Amanda? I knew nothing about this."  
"I assumed that was the case sir."  
"Handle it Amanda. Quietly."  
"That is why I'm dealing with it personally."

Waller ended the call as her car deposited her at the entrance to the Clubhouse. She waited for Oliver who arrived a few minutes later. He parked his car and turned to Felicity. "Stay here." 

"Why?"  
"You're off the operation. Waller's orders."  
"Not just off this operation. You mean I'm off the team don't you?"

Oliver shrugged. "That's not up to me. You should have been honest with us from the very beginning Felicity. If you had, things might have turned out differently." 

Felicity nodded numbly. _And I suppose you have nothing to hide Oliver._

Oliver stepped out to meet Waller who was already coming towards him. "I'll take the lead on this one Oliver. Diplomatic reasons." 

"Understood. I'll go round back." 

**"This is Alpha 2 with a status report."** Digg's voice filtered through comms. 

"This is Delta One. Go ahead Alpha 2."

"Chapman has just spotted the Camilaharans following him. His cab is slowing down and turning off. I suspect he's going to make a deal with them for turning on Jackson. Be on the alert at the Club. I'll double back on them."

"Roger that Alpha 2. Over and out." 

Oliver and Waller nodded at each other and went their separate ways. 

***

Tom Chapman stepped out of the vehicle, removed his jacket and threw it on the back seat. He'd been nervous from the time his escort vehicle left him. He turned out his pants pockets and raised both arms to shoulder height just as the black limo pulled up behind the cab. He was taking no chances, but if there was an opportunity to make some money he would take it.

"I need some information Mr Chapman," said the same tall urbane attaché who accosted Oliver previously. "Please do not play games with me. Your life is at stake." 

"I don't have the kind of information you're seeking. Please believe me, if I did I would tell you." 

"You're very friendly with Robert Jackson. You socialize with him do you not? You are mixed up in this business to harm my country. We believe you were the assassin in the elevator. You tell me now where the ZDX is being delivered or you're a dead man."

"Okay, okay. I will tell you for a price."

"Tell me where and name your price Mr Chapman," the attaché said with a polite smile.

"I'm sure your men are following the government agents, right? That's how you found me. Wherever they've gone that's where you find Jackson."

"Very good Mr Chapman. Thank you." The attaché gave a subtle signal to his driver and stepped back into the limo. Two shots fired out from a silencer. Chapman slumped to the floor. The black limo immediately pulled away. 

The attaché called his man waiting at the Buffalo Golf Club. "You have a photograph of Jackson and his wife. Whichever one emerges from the clubhouse carrying a bag or briefcase, shoot them and take the bag."

Chapman shouted to the cab driver who only then seemed to realised something was wrong. He ran to the man lying on the ground. "Quick, give me your phone," Chapman croaked. He tapped out a final message to Felicity Smoak before the last breath left his body.

***

Inside the Clubhouse Robert Jackson made his way to a rarely used storeroom and stepped inside, he put his back against the door. A shadow appeared out of an alcove. "I object to having to do this personally," he growled at the man holding a small leather holdall. 

"Too much at stake, we cannot take any risk that this will fall into the wrong hands. This was the only way," said the delivery man in a thick foreign accent. 

They exchanged bags and each checked the contents. One flicked through the money, and the other found four small bottles of liquid, securely packed in their own containers inside a metal case. The men nodded at each other. Jackson exited the storeroom first, making his way back to the reception to meet his wife. He handed her the bag. 

Just then Amanda Waller stepped up at Justina Chapman's elbow. "Lovely day for a round Justina." 

"Dear Amanda. What a surprise, I didn't expect to see you here. I've finished for today. We must make a date to play soon." 

"Yes. That would be great but I'm here as a messenger today." She stared stonily at Jackson. "Robert I have a message for you from our mutual friends. "They hear you're thinking of taking a vacation South of the Border." 

"Yes, I am. Is there something wrong with that?" 

"I'm sorry to be the bringer of bad news but I have it on good authority this is not a good time. It would be injurious to your health."

"You people must stop worrying about me. I have many friends South of the Border."

"I'm aware of that Robert but this time the Powers That Be have spoken. You see a little bird has been tweeting in their ear, and I need to take the bag you've just handed to your wife. We'll do this quietly so not to create a fuss."

Jackson nodded to his wife who handed the sports bag to Amanda. 

Waller opened the bag and checked the contents of the metal container inside. She looked at the couple. "Thank you. You two enjoy the rest of your day. The lunch here is very good." She began walking towards the door. 

Justina Jackson hurried after her. "Amanda wait..." 

Outside in the carpark, still sitting where Oliver had left her, Felicity's text messaging sound. She removed her cell from her pocket and read the message. It was from Chapman: _Camilaharans on their way. Be careful._

Felicity jumped out of the vehicle, her eyes darting all around looking for Oliver. She had to warn him of imminent danger. Her heart jumped in her chest. No. Nothing must happen to him. 

Felicity kept scanning the cars around her until she spotted a grey sedan, it's window slowly rolling down and the long nozzle of a silencer appeared. Felicity's head swivelled around to the direction the gun was pointing. She saw Amanda Waller walking towards the exit with Mrs Jackson on her heels gesticulating. 

Felicity removed her heels and took off at a fast sprint. She launched herself at Waller just as the first shot popped. They both sprawled out on the ground. Waller recovered first. She grabbed for the sports bag and pulled Felicity further back behind an evergreen hedge, out of harms way as further shots were fired. 

There were shouts and screaming. By the time Oliver reached them, the grey sedan had already pulled away, leaving the grounds of the Clubhouse. He went straight to Felicity and helped her up. "Are you hurt?"

"No."

Oliver turned to Waller who was already up on her feet, still immaculately presented, with not a hair out of place. She was clutching the bag with the ZXD, and nodded to Oliver.  
"Justina Jackson has been hurt. Take care of things here. I'll see you back on the Grid."  
The head of A.R.G.U.S moved towards her car where her driver was waiting. 

Sitting ramrod straight in the back seat, Waller called her boss.  
"Mission accomplished."  
"Do you have the ZDX."  
"Affirmative."  
"Well done Amanda."

The call ended. 

***

Oliver sat at his station watching Felicity pack her things, her focus entirely on what she was doing. 

He made up his mind.

He got up and walked into Waller's office. "I want Felicity to remain on the team."

"I don't like liars," Waller responded without raising her head from what she was doing. "She obstructed the work of this Agency and that's unacceptable."

"And what do we do every day but lie, to achieve the outcomes A.R.G.U.S wants."  
"We don't lie to each other Oliver."

"Has there ever been a time when you've lied to me Amanda or get others to do so?"  
"That was different, it was a matter of necessity."

"So it's one rule for you and another for the rest of us? Felicity was young. She made a mistake, just as I did. Does she have to pay for it her whole life. With her life? By cutting her loose that's what likely to happen. She deserves another chance Amanda. You must acknowledge that her work has been exemplary, apart from this matter. She also saved your life today." 

Waller tented her fingers and stared at Oliver for a length of time. "Are you sleeping with Ms Smoak Oliver?" 

"I don't know why that would be your business Amanda."

"I value your presence as a member of this team Oliver and I appreciate the many sacrifices you've made in your life. I trust you. And I suppose Ms Smoak may have saved my life today, or at least saved me from serious injury. Therefore I will allow you to twist my arm just this once. You want Ms Smoak on this team, then she is your liability, not mine. One more misstep and she is out. Deal?" 

Oliver dipped his head and left her office.

Back out on the Grid he watched Felicity putting her final bits and pieces into her box. She turned and looked at him. "Are you going home now, I'd like to retrieve my bags."

"Yes Ms Smoak, I am ready to take you home but first you need to unpack your things. You are expected back on the Grid by 8 a.m on Monday morning unless something comes up over the weekend."

Felicity's eyes widened. She stared at him open-mouthed, then looked towards Waller's office and back to Oliver. "You mean I'm not being...?"

"It's a reprieve. You get a second chance Felicity."  
"Thank you."  
"Let's go home," he said softly. 

Felicity was relieved. She wasn't sure how it happened but she'd been given a second chance. 

***

On the way Oliver stopped at a deli and came away with a large hamper, obviously pre-ordered. 

When they arrived home Oliver went up to his room to change.  
Felicity changed too. She was obviously going to be staying the night. She was grateful he hadn't insisted that she leave straightaway. 

She was already sitting at the island waiting for him to re-appear when Oliver came bounding down the stairs looking relaxed and she would even say happy.  
"Hi," she greeted him. "I was wondering what you had in there." She gestured towards the hamper. 

He moved towards her and stepped inside her personal space. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "First things first Ms Smoak. I'm wondering whether I should put you across my knee, pull your knickers down and give you a good spanking, or whether I should make love to you. What do you think?"

Her body reacted immediately to his words. She felt the heat coursing through. Her cheeks were flushed and burning. She bit down on her lower lip.

Oliver watched her. Much of that sassy assertiveness had deserted her since the elevator incident. He gently pulled her lip away from the clutches of her teeth. "Well Ms Smoak do you have an opinion?" 

"I thought you said you didn't make love, just fucked." 

"It seems I said a lot of things Ms Smoak. Apparently you are the exception to all of them." He smiled at her. "Since you don't seem to have an opinion on whether I should spank you or make love to you, we'll come back to it later. Are you hungry?"

She nodded. "Yes. Why do you want to spank me?" Even saying the words sent a shiver down her spine. 

"I wondered when you were going to ask that. You deserve a spanking because you've lied to me consistently from the day I met you. You have hidden things from me that make you vulnerable and expose you to men with machine guns. You could have been killed in the elevator a few days ago. Do you remember what you said to me that first night you insinuated yourself into my life?" 

Felicity giggled. "I don't know what got into me. I said some crazy things that night didn't I?" 

"You told me we are going to be work colleagues and you'll be watching over me and protecting my butt, so I should get to know you. So let me get to know you Felicity so I know how to protect you." 

"I've been protecting myself for a long time now Oliver." 

"I know that Felicity. I saw you in action on the Monrovia Star. But you are not alone. We are a team, all of us. When we are out in the field we're only as strong as the weakest link. And if there is anything that makes any one of us vulnerable then the rest of us need to know. I discovered that the hard way." 

She nodded. "I'm sorry Oliver, I didn't think about it like that. So you can spank me, I deserve it." 

Oliver smiled. "We will get to that Ms Smoak. But now we need to eat. I'm hungry too. It's been a long day and I don't think either of us have eaten since breakfast and that's not good." 

"Do you want to choose a bottle of wine while I unpack the hamper. There's a selection of chilled in the fridge. Red in the rack." 

Felicity choose a bottle of _Clos Mireille_ from the fridge and found some glasses. 

"Excellent choice Ms Smoak. One of my favourite Rosés. It will go well with our picnic."

"Rosé wouldn't be my first choice, I prefer a full-bodied red but I like the shape of the bottle." 

"I know what you mean, voluptuous but what's inside is fine and delicate, a classic mix." 

His blue gaze lingered on her. Felicity felt tongue-tied and awkward. She didn't understand why he had the ability to reduce her to gauche schoolgirl on occasion. 

"You have an eclectic taste in wines." 

"I enjoy good wines. One of my dreams is to take a long wine-tasting holiday through France - Bordeaux, Burgundy, Languedoc. Then through Spain and Italy. I'd like to visit the wine growing Coastal region of South Africa and then back here to California. Maybe acquire my own vineyard one day, and set up a Wine Club catering for the discerning. Let's eat," he said. 

Felicity surveyed the selection of food laid out. A variety of cold cuts, sandwiches, pasta, potato, tuna, shrimps, an assortment of cheeses and green salads.

Her mouth watered. "Wow. Is this a regular thing or on a whim?"

"Its a regular Friday night thing if I'm home, yes. It also means there are healthy things to eat during the week so I don't need to snack on potato chips and other unhealthy things if I don't feel like cooking." 

He intrigued her, he was such a mystery. "The last thing I would expect is a spook who is a wine connoisseur and wants to own a vineyard." 

"You know that old cliché, don't judge a book...? Later on I want to hear all about your dreams Felicity but for now you and I need to have a serious talk." 

Felicity took a deep breath. She knew he'd be on to her. "We do? What about?" 

"You know very well what about. You gave Waller an edited version, now I want to hear all of it. The truth please, the whole truth. Your life is still under threat." 

"Yes, I know that. Raoul and the other one got away. They won't give up until I'm...I'm." Felicity put her fork down and used her napkin. Her lips trembled. She was on the verge of tears again. With an unsteady hand she took a sip of her wine. 

Oliver covered her hand with his. "It's okay Felicity, we won't let that happen."

He had a plan to knock her little problem on the head once and for all times, but to do that he needed to know more.


	13. Entanglement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity tells Oliver the grueling story of her time on the Mendoza family compound and how she escaped. They both need a little distraction afterwards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember the explicit tag? This chapter contains the recounting of memories of sexual and physical abuses, just in case you wish to skip it.

"You did that didn't you?"  
"What's that?"  
"Got Amanda Waller to change her mind about letting me go?"  
"We had a brief word." 

"Well I won't ask what you said. But thank you. Really Oliver, I mean it. I love what I do and working with the team. I was fully prepared to be heartbroken, sleeping in a hotel tonight before disappearing again." 

"You are good at what you do Felicity and I think Amanda had to acknowledge that."

She knew it must be more than that but she wasn't going to push him.

"Have you had enough to eat yet?"  
"Yes, thank you. Everything was delicious. If you keep this up, I won't want to leave." 

"You don't have to leave." In truth she had brought a certain contentment to his life. He was really going to miss her.

"You...you'll let me stay here beyond tonight?"

"Felicity I'm in no hurry to push you out. Did you think I would, even if you'd lost your job today?" 

She shrugged. "I thought it likely once you knew about the things I'd done. I felt I'd betrayed you and you would stop trusting me. That's why I packed. You don't have to do this Oliver." 

He looked surprised. "Do you have somewhere else to go? Back to Alena's?" 

"With the Mendozas knowing where I am, I don't feel safe there. I'd prefer my own place. I've already viewed a couple of apartments that will work for me from a safety point of view but held off taking things further while there was uncertainty about whether I'd be moving on again."

"Felicity whatever else we are, I hope we're friends and work colleagues, so we support each other. Okay?" 

"Okay."  
"Good. So you are staying until you find your own place."  
"Yes Sir," she said softly.

He smiled at her. He got up and began to carefully pack away the left overs into his enormous fridge. 

"Now Ms Smoak," Oliver said once he'd finished clearing everything away, "time to talk. I want to know everything."

They sat at opposite ends of the couch facing each other. Felicity sat crossed-legged and Oliver with one leg stretched out in front of him and the other on the floor.

"This might take some time."

"It's Friday night Felicity. We have two whole days and three nights." 

Felicity swallowed and took a deep breath. Here goes. "I suppose it began in my second year at MIT. I came upon some guys harassing a petite, olive-skinned, doe-eyed freshman. They were crowding her, calling her names and asking her to show them what she had. 

"Of course I intervened. I was a fierce looking goth in those days. Piercings, Doc Martins, dark make-up, black nail polish, the whole nine yards." 

Oliver grinned. His whole face lit up at the thought. He stared at her in amazement, his eyes resting on the one remaining piece of evidence of those days. He just couldn't imagine Felicity Smoak, that very sexy woman moaning and writhing with desire in his Green room as he pleasured her, as a Goth. 

Felicity smiled back and nodded. "Yes, I know. What can I say. It was my rebellious phase." 

"Anyway, from then on Teresa Mendoza became my shadow. I had a boyfriend, Cooper, who also helped to put the fear of god into anyone who attempted to molest or harass Teresa, easily the most beautiful young woman on Campus." 

"What happened to Cooper, where is he now?" Oliver wanted to know.

"We had plans to do great things together. He was something of a crusader but he was also a hothead. When I found out he'd cheated on me, I dumped him. He's probably languishing in jail somewhere for all I know." 

"Anyway back to Teresita as her family calls her. She came from a very traditional and paternalistic family whom she pestered to be allowed to go away to school. She was the hothouse lily, cossetted and protected, the jewel in old man Mendoza's crown. Teresa's protector/minder in Boston was the younger of her two brothers, Eduardo. He and sometimes her father came to Boston every other weekend to check on her. 

"Teresita introduced me to Eduardo who was the personification of charm and attentiveness, a balm to my bruised ego after Cooper. He was also very handsome. I seem to have a thing for good looking men." She could feel the intensity of his gaze on her and avoided looking at him. 

"I received kudos from the Mendozas as the guardian angel who had protected the baby of the family from unwanted lascivious attention. I was often invited to spend the holidays at the family compound. When she graduated Teresa invited me to take a break and stay with her family. It was only meant to be for a couple of weeks but I was at an unfocused phase of my life and ended up staying for six months. It was never my intention to stay so long but I let them reel me in. 

"I was accepted as Eduardo's girlfriend, not that I saw myself like that but I went along with it. The whole family and their vast entourage treated me like a princess, they even called me _Princesa._ I had a great time at first. We rode horses, swam, had family picnics and cookouts, things I'd had no experience of before. The Mendozas became the family I never had. I was lulled into a false sense of security. 

"When Eduardo asked me to use my tech skills to help his father and his business associates, I thought nothing of it. A frequent visitor to the Compound was Javier Cortez, he had a scar then, someone had sliced his face open at one time. 

There was always music and laughter at the compound. But it hid something sinister from the ordinary onlooker.  
As I was allowed to go deeper into the business, I began to notice all sorts of irregularities and things that didn't add up. I found that what appeared on the various manifests for transportation did not tally with the records in Tito Mendoza's files in terms of quantities and destination. I realised that nothing was as I thought. What was supposed to be deliveries to grocery store chains was just an elaborate cover. It turned out the Mendoza's were part of a massive crime syndicate trading in guns and drugs. That's when I decided to leave. 

"When I talked with Eduardo about his family business and told him I was leaving, his true colours came out. He was an insecure person, jealous of his elder brother Raoul who was his father's righthand man and successor. Eduardo was regarded as the pretty boy, a womaniser who liked to party. His Dad and elder brother didn't take him seriously, and I'd become his contribution to the family business. 

"He placed a full-time guard on me after I begun to ask questions, and started to hit me. I often sported a black eye and swollen lips but no one said or did anything. Mama Mendoza told me I should obey my man and not talk back and everything would be okay. Teresa tried to comfort me but there was nothing she could do or say. She was afraid of her menfolk. They were the law. 

"I found myself locked into a menacing world. I was often woken in the middle of the night and hauled into old man Mendoza's office to re-route merchandise or digitally falsify something by hacking into the records of various ports from North America to Southern Africa. 

"One night Eduardo kicked down the door of our bedroom in a drunken rage, accusing me of whoring around with his men and then he raped me. After that I knew I had to get away before he killed me. They would never let me go. I knew too much and was not family." 

"Felicity stop. You're telling me this guy beat, raped and kept you prisoner?" Oliver fought the urge to pull her into his arms and just hold her. His rage against this Eduardo boiled over. 

Felicity nodded numbly, the tears ran down her cheeks as she recalled the terror of her last months on the Mendoza compound. She was so naïve, young and stupid. Her skills and intellect reduced to helping gunrunners and drug barons. That made her a criminal. 

"How did you get away?" Oliver asked softly.

"After the first time Eduardo raped me, I took to sleeping with some scissors under my pillow. The next time he came after me in a drunken rage, I stabbed him in the neck, then placed a pillow over his face and held him down with the weight of my body until I was certain he was dead."

She glanced at him to gauge his reaction. Oliver nodded his head with satisfaction. Her first kill. The guy deserved it. If he wasn't already dead, he'd kill Eduardo himself with his bare hands. But it would have fundamentally changed her, taking a human life does that. It's tainting. He hurt for her loss of innocence. 

His mind went back to darker times. The Island had changed that frivolous rich boy. But that particular night when he'd bludgeoned to death one of the invaders who was threatening Shado was a major turning point. He never returned from that. A little piece of his soul had been calcified. 

Felicity's soft whisper brought him back from Lian Yu. "I had no choice. It was either survive or die, him or me." 

"I know Felicity, but continue your story. What happened after that?" He needed to know every thing. 

"I locked the bedroom door, packed some essentials in a bag and crouched in a corner until I knew there would be a minimal number of guards about. Timing my movements to avoid them, I climbed out of a window and made my way to the tunnel Teresita had shown me when I first arrived. She'd sworn me to secrecy. It would be bad for her if the family ever found out I knew about it. The tunnel was an escape route if the Compound ever came under attack or in the very unlikely event of a police raid. 

"It would have been faster to take a horse from the stables but I couldn't take that chance. I was lucky they hadn't confiscated my passport.

"It took an hour to crawl through the tunnel on my hands and knees. It should have taken much less time but I discovered I was claustrophobic. I emerged some way away from the Compound and a short distance from the highway. I eventually hitched a lift and made my to our Embassy, the only place I knew I'd be safe. I spun a yarn about being attacked while hitchhiking across the country, but managed to get away. My dirty and dishevelled appearance made it all very believable. 

"I suppose you couldn't go the police. They were probably on the Mendoza's payroll."

"Exactly. I would have been held until someone from the Compound came to fetch me or apparently committed suicide in my cell." Felicity wiped her wet face with the back of her hands. 

Oliver, scooted along the couch closer to her and pulled her into his arm, tucking her head beneath his chin. She clung to him, her body trembling. "Hey, hey," he kissed her hair. "It's over. You're safe now." 

"Only for now. The Mayfield was a desperate move. They have re-doubled their efforts since I went after their money. I'm sure they know it's me, but the major account which would mean bankruptcy still eludes me." 

"Felicity, you didn't...?" 

"I killed a man Oliver; it pales in comparison. They'll never stop coming after me until I bury them." 

He closed his eyes. Yes they will. He was going to made damn sure of that. 

"What happened when you left the embassy, did you come back home?" 

"I knew they'd be watching the airport. I got some new clothes, cut and dyed my hair and flew home thirty-six hours later. But I couldn't go home to Vegas. They knew that's where my mom lived and where I'd be likely to go. I warned mom that she might be in danger and my friend Ray arranged for her to have a permanent bodyguard. It irritated the life out of her. My mom is a freespirit but hearing how upset I was she reluctantly agreed." 

"Who is Ray?" 

"Ray Palmer is my friend and business associate. We own Smoak Palmer Associates - or SPA Plc - but I'm a silent partner. He lives in Ann Arbor, and that's where I went to hide out initially. 

"Felicity do you think Palmer had anything to do with the Mendozas discovering where you are?" 

"No. Of course not. Why would you think that? Ray would rather chop off his right hand than do anything to hurt me." 

Oliver raised an eyebrow. _So who exactly was this Palmer guy? Is he a friend or more? A lover?_

"My relationship with Ray is strictly business but he is a good friend. He is a top class physicist who brings my computer-aided designs and calculations to practical application. He and I created my 'lady's pistol' that you were so scathing about. Where is the one you took from me by the way? Don't think I didn't notice you never gave it back." 

Oliver grinned sheepishly. "I gave it to the A.R.G.U.S boffins. All they could tell me was it would be difficult to replicate and it's patented, so I kept it as a souvenir of our Monrovia Star adventure. You can have it back if you like." 

"No. Keep it to remember me by. There are lots more where it came from. Maybe I'll make a deal one day to supply the security services." 

"You should. That would make you extremely rich."  
"Hmm, that would be nice." 

So he could cross Palmer off his list, maybe. "What about your ex-boyfriend Cooper? Would he be involved in any way?"

"Cooper has no idea where I am and he'd never recognise me now. I'd bet everything I owned that he isn't anywhere near this. Apart from the Mendozas, the only other people involved I'd say were Cortez and Jackson." 

Oliver nodded. He was going to deal with all of them. Every last one of them. _...get a message through to Cortez. Tell him his little bird in the elevator is still alive._ Those words would haunt him until he dealt with the matter. 

They stared at each other. She looked worn out. 

Oliver, take me to the Green room," she whispered.  
"No Felicity. Not tonight, not a good idea."  
"Why? Please Oliver. I need it." 

He needed her too, their mutual physical attraction demanding attention. He moved off the couch, picked her up and carried her upstairs. Instead of turning left to the Green room, he entered his bedroom and deposited her on the bed. Then he walked into the bathroom and she heard the water running. 

When he finally emerged Oliver had just his boxers on. Her eyes homed in on his torso. His upper body was covered in scars and he had a strange tattoo over his left breast. The blue-black eight-pointed star caught her eye because it was the most prominent. His mangled body was the reason why he'd never removed his tee in the past. 

Oliver stood stock still, letting her examine his body. He made no comment. 

"Are you going to have a bath?" Felicity asked, mirroring his own nonchalant stance. She guessed he'd been badly tortured. Now wasn't the time to raise it. 

"We are, yes," he said moving towards her. Taking his time Oliver removed all her clothes until she stood before him completely naked. He gave her a soft kiss on the lips, took her hand and led her into the bathroom. 

Felicity gasped as she stepped over the threshold. The bathroom was bathed in candlelight. A heady mix of lemongrass and lavender wafted in the air from the rising steam. Oliver removed his boxers, stepped into the bubbles, sat down and held his hand out to her. 

As soon as Felicity settled down between his legs, Oliver slipped both arms around her waist and pulled her against him. Her head fell back on his shoulder and her eyes closed. The warmth of the water, his body and the soothing scent around her gave Felicity a sense of peace and security that she hadn't felt since the shooting in the elevator, even before that. 

"Oliver, this is heavenly." His arms tightened around her in response. Mr Handsome was a romantic. 

They remained in that silent cocoon enjoying the intimacy and quiet contentment of the moment. She would take this every day. To be home in a warm bath in the arms of a man she loved and who loved her. It was unlikely to be Oliver Jensen but she could always dream. 

Oliver tried to dampen his need for her because he wanted her to soak away the darkness he'd asked her to relive. He'd seen the inner anguish reflected in the depth of her eyes, saddened by the pain of memory. He never imagined she'd experienced such an ordeal. Tonight was not one for the Green room, although she imagined that's what she needed in order to forget. His cock twitched at the base of her spine and Felicity's eyes flew open. 

Oliver reached for the sponge and began to wash her body. He started with the slopes of her shoulders and worked his way down slowly, drawing a figure of eight around her breasts, pausing briefly to cup one with his free hand and gently brushed a thumb across her nipple. Already sensitive, Felicity whimpered, her body tensed and her breathing altered. He continued down to her belly, over her hips and thighs.

His hand cupped her mound before a finger slicked through her folds and entered her. That had not been his intention but he was hardening by the minute, his ardour ramped up by her reaction. Felicity moaned loudly and her body jerked violently, causing the water to splash over the edge of the bath. 

His lips travelling over one shoulder and gently nipped her flesh, while his finger pumped gently into her. The heat of arousal began to build in both of them. Oliver felt his spine begin to crackle with energy. He eased her body away from him and got out of the bath. 

Felicity looked up at him confused. "Oliver? Where are you going? I was going to wash you too."

"No time for that baby, I need to be inside you now." He urged her up, took a large white fluffy towel wrapped it around her body and picked her up fireman style. She squealed and giggled, his own body still dripping wet as he carried her to the bedroom. He sat on the bed with Felicity on his lap, unraveled her towel and begin to dry her. 

Felicity turned to straddled him, pushing him back on the bed. She took the towel and began to dry the parts of his body she could reach before throwing it on the floor. She leant over him and kissed his jaw, neck, and shoulders down to his chest. She kissed his tattoo and every scar she found on the front of his body. Oliver sighed and closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her soft lips on his skin. He was passive, allowing her to take control. This was a first for him in a very long time.

Oliver reached for a condom in the nightstand and passed it to her. Felicity slowly sheathed his rigid member before mounting him. She raised her body and positioned her entrance over is upright cock and slid down on him very slowly, eyes closed, lower lip sucked in between her teeth until his hard length was buried deep inside her. Oliver's eyes locked on the place where their bodies joined, his hands came to rest lightly on her hips.

Felicity began to move, rotating her hips and at the same time going up and down on him, her fingers anchored lightly on his thighs behind. The intensity created caused Oliver to reach up to close his lips around a nipple sucking each in turn. Felicity moaned and the motion of her hips shifted to a faster thrusting up and down on his thick shaft. He throbbed deep inside her. She let her head fall back, eyes closed, and focused on the delicious pressure starting to build in the base of her spine. 

“Oh...God…,” she gasped, “Oliver…” She was there too soon, the tremors began and she lost her rhythm

He pulled her down towards him capturing her mouth with his, flipped her over on her back and, without missing a beat, picked up and continued the rhythmic strokes in and out of her body. Her legs crossed over his back and her arms wrapped around his upper body, she met him thrust for thrust. They were both close. 

Oliver set a deliberately hard, fast pace. He could feel how quickly they were both approaching a total eclipse.

Felicity bucked wildly beneath him. “Oh God, Oliver,” she gasped in his ear, “Oh yes, Oliver, I'm ...don't stop....” Her release flooded through burying her in wave upon wave of pure sweet sensation.

Burying his face in her neck, Oliver lost himself in the wave of ecstasy that swept over and through them both. He pulsed and spasmed inside her as he came with a force. 

He stilled, his weight resting on her for a few moments. Then he raised up supporing himself on one arm and looked down at her. "Fuck Felicity." Sex with her was like nothing he'd experienced. 

She grinned goofily up at him. Oliver kissed her nose and flopped down beside her pulling her to him. 

They lay side by side in that quiet after glow.

"Oliver."  
"Hmmm?"  
"You need to let the bath water out and take care of the candles." 

Oliver groaned but eventually persuaded his somnolent body to get out of the bed and stumble towards the bathroom. He removed the condom on the way, aware only of a pressing need to get back to her quickly. 


	14. Avoidance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver gets a shock and retreats into isolation mode but makes arrangements to safeguard Felicity

Oliver slowly returned to consciousness immediately aware of the soft breathing beside him. He turned his head to look at her. A soft smile lingered on his face. She was on her stomach with her head turned away from him but an arm flung across his midriff anchored his body in place beside her. 

It scared him a little how quickly he had accommodated her into his life. She just seemed to fit around him in every way. His hand reached out, seemingly of their own volition to touch her. He turned on his side and began to place small soft kisses on her back, his hand roaming over her body. 

"Mmm, good morning," she murmured sleepily, turning towards him. "This is nice." 

"What is?" 

"Being woken by soft lips belonging to the most handsome man in the room." 

He chuckled. "Good thing I'm the only man here then." He pulled her body partially on top of his. Her hand immediately found his morning stiffy. He stared down into her cerulean blue eyes, filled with mischief. "You are so beautiful Smoak, and right now you're asking for trouble."

Felicity purred contentedly, her head settling on his shoulder. "What are we doing today?" 

"We'll spend most of the day in the Green room if you keep that up," he said, stilling the hand coaxing his already hardened cock. 

"I'd be okay with that except I have to pick up my new car sometime today." 

"And I need to do my weekend chores" 

"Like what?" She smiled down at him, an arm propping up her head. She definitely did not see him as a chores person. 

"Take stuff to and pick up stuff from the dry cleaners. Go to the farmers' market." 

"Seriously? You go to farmers' markets." 

"Yes Smoak, I do when I'm at home on weekends which is rare."

He was a solitary person. A very different animal to his teen years. He spent most weekends catching up on sleep, especially if he'd been on an operation and sleep deprived. He might see Vivienne plus John and Lyla or have them over. He spent time training and went for long runs. He'd replenish his food store, including a trip to the farmer's market, and probably take his baby out for a spin later in the day. 

Oliver considered his life neither lonely nor lacking in contentment until she burst into it that is. The last three years, apart from those nine months in Metak, were far superior in quality compared to the previous five. Those years on the Island, in Hong Kong and Russia had not only left deep grooves on his body but also impenetrable black holes in his heart and soul. Felicity Smoak was the first person he'd allowed to get as close as she had. 

"Okay, why don't we go to the cleaners, pick up my car and go to the farmers' market. No that won't work. The other way round. Farmers' market then my car," Felicity said ordering their day. 

"So up Smoak, shower then breakfast then chores. Later I'll take you out for a spin along the coast to a nice little bistro I know for dinner. How does that sound?" 

"Perfect. Sounds like a date," she grinned at him. "I like the idea of that. Last one in the shower is a dork!" 

Before she'd taken one step, he was already at the bathroom door. She laughed. "You cheated Oliver!" 

"How? I'm just fleet of foot Smoak. Come on." 

By the time she reached the shower cubicle and stepped in, he was already beneath the cascading water with his back turned to her. Now she could see the full extent of the damage done to his body. 

"Oliver," she breathed, her fingers tracing the scars and raised ridges on this back. There were more tattoos. Her heart broke for the pain he must have endured. He turned to face her and could see the questioning and fearful look in her eyes. 

"Hey, it's okay. I got those a long time ago." He pulled her to him and ran his hands over her body. She shivered a little and held on to him as his lips closed over hers. A hand slipped between her legs and his fingers moved lightly up and down her folds. His cock was already hard against her belly. 

Felicity gripped his arms when his fingers spread her open and his thumb brushed back and forth against her clit. She rocked her hips against him. “Mmmm…Oliver…” she moaned softly. She couldn't get enough of him.

He slowly slid two fingers in and out of her, taking his time, feeling her body respond to him. He loved the sounds she made, deep husky moans and breathy sighs, and the sinuous way she moved her hips against him. 

He withdrew his hand from between her legs and grabbed her ass cheeks pulling her hard up against his engorged length. His wet mouth latched unto her pebbled nipples, sucking hard then kissing each in turn. She cried out his name in need. 

In one fluid movement Oliver picked her up and turned to the wall. Her legs circled his waist, opening up to his hard throbbing cock, already seeking its way inside her. He pushed in slowly and stopped to stare into her eyes. Her lips parted and they kissed long, slow and deeply. 

"Felicity, hold on to me tight," he whispered against her lips when they came up for air. Oliver pulled out to his tip and immediately plunged back inside of her, making Felicity cry out. She clung to him and her body melded with his as he fucked her hard and fast. The shower cubicle reverberated with their lust-filled cries and moans.

*****

They were at the showroom picking up Felicity's new car, a Mini Cooper 3-door Hatch, red with a black top. She was in the office completing the paperwork while Oliver strolled around the showroom. 

A body bumped into him from behind, causing Oliver to look over his shoulder. The person had backed into him and he'd recognise that profile anywhere. 

"Sorry buddy," Tommy Merlyn's distinctive voice said. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

The adrenalin spiked in Oliver's body. His heartrate ratcheted up several notches. Fuck. This was the last thing he wanted. "It's okay," he mumbled with his back turned to the apologiser. "No harm done." 

"Ollie? Is that you?"

Oliver closed his eyes. He could either make a bolt for it or turn and face something he'd give any thing to have avoided. He turned to face his best friend of a long time ago.

"Tommy."  
"It _is_ you. Thought my eyes were deceiving me for a moment there." 

Oliver grabbed his friend's arm, looking over his shoulder at Felicity who had her back turned to him. "Will you step outside with me Tommy?" 

"Ollie, I can't believe this. Moira and Thea didn't tell me you'd been found alive. You're supposed to be dead. You've been gone eight years. Everyone thinks you're dead. You have a gravestone beside your dad's in the grounds of Queen mansion. When did you get back? What happened man?" Tommy Merlyn couldn't believe his eyes and words just tumbled out of his mouth. 

Oliver's mind was racing trying to piece together something plausible to tell him. "Look Tommy, I can't explain now. Mom and Thea don't know I'm back. Look man, I have to ask you a big favour. I've had a difficult time over the last few years; lost my memory for some of it. It's recoverable with time. I'm just not yet in a place to meet my family. I need time Tommy. Please, don't say anything about seeing me." 

"Sure, sure buddy. Of course I'll not say anything if that's what you want. But it's a shock to see you suddenly materialize in Star City. I..I don't know what to say. Look take my card. As soon as you are able give me a call." 

"Tommy, I need you to promise me man. Not a word to my family, not even to Laurel. I'll make contact with them as soon as it's right. I don't want to cause them more distress than they need. It wouldn't be right for me or for them to suddenly have a son and brother resurrected, I'm just not ready for that yet. This is important Tommy. Promise me." 

Tommy Merlyn was a little alarmed that Oliver knew about him and Laurel. He would've preferred to tell him personally. "I understand Olly. I promise. But you promise me something too. If there's anything you need, or something I can do for you, give me a call. Any time buddy, day or night." 

"Yes Tommy, I will. Thank you. I have to go." Oliver left his old friend standing there, hurried to his car and drove away. 

Tommy Merlyn was still in shock, watching his best buddy walk away from him. That was Oliver Queen alright but different. It wasn't that Ollie was older, he was, eight years older. It was something else. An indefinable look in his eye, the way he carried himself; there was something disquieting about his boyhood friend. The man was and wasn't Ollie. He would keep his promise to his best buddy because Oliver was still that, but he felt perplexed as he watched his friend disappear. He had a million questions. 

Tommy would have been even more astonished if he knew that Oliver frequented Verdant and had assisted his wife on occasion in the past, unbeknown to her. 

Oliver called Felicity. "Hey. Have you got everything sorted?"

"Oliver? Why are you calling me? Where are you? I thought you were looking around the showroom. " 

"Look, something has come up. I need to take care of it. I thought it would be okay to leave now you have your car. I may not be back tonight. I'll call you later, probably tomorrow." 

"Yes, okay." She frowned. Something had happened, she could hear it in his voice. "Oliver is everything o...."

Oliver ended the call. He needed time to himself. 

Driving on automatic pilot, Oliver was oblivious to the warning signals. He drove until he ran out of gas and had to call a tow-truck.

He spent a sleepless night in a motel close to the gas station. It was bound to happen at some point. He'd been careful for three whole years. But recently he'd lost focus. No alarm bells had alerted him that the showroom was too close to the City. He'd avoided going within a certain radius of the City Centre during daylight for just this reason. He often thought Thea would be the one to pop up on his radar. 

***

Back at Oliver's home Felicity wondered what was so pressing that he didn't even wait to talk to her. She shrugged. He was an adult and could manage his life. He didn't need her to worry about him. But she did. She'd gotten much closer to him than was wise. It would be a real wrench to leave him. 

Felicity had been looking forward to their night out and instead fed herself from the quantity of food that remained from the contents of the deli hamper. 

She changed into panda pjs and settled down in front of the tv with a bottle of red to catch up on her shows. When Oliver said he'd be late or even away for the night, she stopped to buy some of her favourite indulgences - chocolate mint chip ice cream and M&M's. 

Woken by the phone, Felicity realised she must have fallen asleep sometime ago because Oliver's smart TV had turned itself off. She scrambled to find her phone before the call went to voicemail. It could be Oliver. She finally found it lodged in the gap between the seats, by then the caller had rung off. It was Lyla Michaels, so she returned the call.

"What's up Lyla? Sorry I lost my phone." 

"Felicity, sorry if I woke you. We have an assignment first thing in the morning. Can you be on the Grid by 0700. I'll brief you then." 

"Yes, of course Lyla. Is Oliver involved too?"

"No. Not at this stage, it's just you, me and Curtis. Sorry for the late call but this is urgent. National security and all that." 

"Lyla it's fine, I hadn't gone to bed yet. See you tomorrow. Goodnight."  
"See you in the morning. Goodnight Felicity." 

Oh well, there goes her weekend. She'd planned to continue her pursuit of the Mendoza's money and also have another look at the apartment she was ready to take on a rental basis with the option to buy in six months if she wished. She was so glad to have her own car again.

Felicity tidied up her mess and went to bed in her room. She'd hesitated about whether to sleep in his bedroom but decided that she was on safer ground to not encroach on his space without an invitation. 

***

It was midday on Sunday before Oliver got home. He'd received a text from Felicity saying she'd been called to the Grid early but he purposefully took his time driving back, relieved that the house was empty. 

Oliver spent several hours in his training room, wanting to purge any remaining tension from his unexpected encounter with Tommy. He fully expected to leave Starling at some point but not yet. He wasn't quite ready to leave his friends behind and go off into his own personal wilderness. Anyway there was still his family to keep an eye out for. 

Oliver showered then paced his bedroom floor in a state of indecision. He was more rattled by the showroom encounter than he cared to admit. He wanted his life back, his old established rhythm. Felicity Smoak had disrupted that and made him lose focus. She was sleeping in his bed for fuck sake. What was he thinking. That life was not for him. He was a fool to even think about her like that. The sooner he sorted out her Mendoza problem the better. Then she would no longer need the protection of his home.

Oliver found his phone and called Vivienne.

"Oliver," she said and waited.

That's what he liked about this arrangement. No questions, no asking where he'd been, why she hadn't heard from him. Just a straight forward transaction. Are you free, yes or no. No emotional entanglements. 

Are you free in an hour for a massage?"  
"Yes I am, but just for a massage. Is that okay?"  
"It's perfect. That's all I need." 

Oliver dressed in jeans, black tee and his maroon leather jacket. He pushed a cap with a deep and wide visor that hid most of his face into his pocket. Then he unlocked his next door office, switched on his equipment, printed out two sheets of paper and removed a photograph from a drawer. 

Oliver took his bike out of the garage. He had two appointments, both on the periphery of the Glades. He stopped at Verdant where he left his bike and walked to his first appointment fifteeen minutes away. His baseball cap covering most of his face.

***

Oliver knocked on the door of the chop shop and waited for it to open. It was a weekend and long pass 'official' business hours. The door opened and he was confronted by the unsmiling face of the proprietor, Alexi Leonov. 

"Alexi. How goes the day?"

"All is well Captain. It's been a long time. What can I do for you my friend. I see you survived the Frozen Lake."

Oliver scrutinized the man's face. Of course Alexi would know about that. They were not friends, could never be friends. They could only be of use to each other. Oliver nodded. "Yes I did Comrade, but Anatoli talks too much."

Being a Bratva Captain gave him a pass in a place very few survived. The inmates in that frozen hellhole were more afraid of him than they were of the brutal guards, who in turn left him alone. The Bratva had an in to most Russian jails. His colleagues at A.R.G.U.S didn't know he was Bratva. That was not the only thing he'd prefer them not to know.

"To what do we owe the pleasure of a visit from the American Captain?"

"I have various vehicles that require attention."

Alexi Leonov gave Oliver a solemn nod. He understood. He had some respect for this American Captain. Unusual as it was, this man had shown he was deserving. This was not the first time they had exchanged favours, and this Captain always delivered. 

"Of course Captain. Anything we can do for you but first we drink to each other's health. Come." Leonov led Oliver to the dungeon-like basement room below stairs. 

Alexi filled two glasses, which held one imperial gill or five fluid ounces. Both men knocked back the clear fiery liquid in one gulp. 

"Now Captain, how may I be of service?"

"I have two vehicles for the pound, a third needs a major adjustment and a fourth to be alerted of danger if better care is not taken of the latest vehicle acquired. 

"Most certainly Captain. Please give details to my Mechanic here and I will inform you once the work has been completed." 

The two men bowed to each other. But first I need a favour from you. You know how our Brotherhood works. 

Oliver glanced at the one referred to as the Mechanic, otherwise known as the Silent Killer. "How may I return the favour Comrade?"

"I have two favours to ask of you Captain. There is one requiring disposal, I would be grateful for your assistance in this matter. That one meddles in Bratva business. He believes himself a powerful Star City drug kingpin and ruthless criminal mastermind who plots to take over the entire City. Ricardo Diaz. He calls himself the Dragon. He is to be eliminated.

"And your other favour?" Oliver pressed. 

"We are not quite ready yet. I shall inform the Captain when it is time."  
"Anything you can tell me now." 

Alexi made no response to that. That particular favour would test Oliver Queen, as he was known to Leonov, and push him to the limits. It might even break him. "I will inform you of the time and place we expect the Dragon to make an appearance for the purpose of meddling. We are expecting a large consignment to arrive soon. He will show up with his men. Your assistance will be required then." 

Oliver got the message. He would not be hearing about his second assignment until the old Russian was ready. "Very well Comrade, I am at your service." 

"It has been a pleasure to talk with you today Captain."  
"And with you Comrade." 

Alexi Leonov nodded to his Mechanic and left the dungeon.

Oliver turned to the silent Russian who stood apart in the dungeon room, his angular features displayed no emotions. He bowed to Oliver who returned the mark of respect with a slight incline of his own head.  
Oliver removed two sheets of paper from the inside pocket of his jacket, reproductions of photographs plus one actual photograph. He gave the Mechanic precise instructions in English which the man understood but refused to speak. 

"это понятно?" (Is that clear?)

"Да, капитан." (Yes Captain)

His business complete, Oliver let himself out of the chop shop and closed the door. That was four taken care of, he'd personally take care of the fifth. 

***

It was late when Felicity returned to the house. She and Lyla had a long day with Felix Bazley at an ARGUS safe house. The guy kept moving the goalpost, demanding more money for the information they wanted. They would be back on him again first thing in the morning. Waller urgently required the information Bazley had secreted away. It had been a frustrating, tiring and unfruitful day. 

Felicity could tell Oliver was home but she was too exhausted to check him. She stepped out of her clothes and crawled into bed. 

Upstairs Oliver's finely tuned ear heard when she came in. He'd made a mistake with her, he'd allowed it to go too far. He had to pull back and return to the status quo as it was before her. He turned his light out and waited for sleep to finally switch off his brain and still his mind. 


	15. Threat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team tackle a dirty bank, the activities of which pose a threat to the country's economy. The work of ARGUS continues, providing a backdrop to the fluctuating relationship between Felicity and Oliver.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't want anyone to get raised blood pressure readings but a universally unloved character makes a cameo appearance here. Just remember sometimes agents of State Security have to associate with certain people, say and do anything to get intel.

**An Argus Safe House**

The safe house was a drab, nondescript and uninspiring two-storey in its own grounds. This was their second day with Felix Bazley and it was going to be short. Felicity was about to lose it with the man. She was on the verge of literally throwing him out the window. It was only one storey down and he would land on grass. 

It didn't help that Oliver was cold and monosyllabic when he finally emerged from his room minutes before she had to leave. She hadn't seen or heard from him since he'd left her in the showroom. She was feeling irritated with him too. 

Felicity moved from in front of Bazley to lean against the wall behind him, signaling Lyla to take over.

Lyla put on her stern no nonsense face and stepped up to Bazley. "Look Felix, you need to listen. We are paying you a large amount of money, give us the information you've taken from your employers. Come on it's time to blow Strang Bank wide open.  
"Listen to me Felix or it will go badly for you." She banged the table in front of him. "Tell us where the information is. Nearby and accessible isn't good enough." 

"Why are you getting angry?" He turned to look at Felicity, "She's getting angry. I'm the one who should be angry here."

"Felix, look at me," said Lyla. "You have been secretly recording the names of depositors from one of the world's nastiest offshore banks. Among some of those tax-dodging celebrities there's a healthy clutch of drug barons, warlords and dictators. What do you think they would do if they knew what you'd done. Take a guess."

"Are you threatening me?" He turned to Felicity again. "She's threatening me. This is not my fault. It's yours. You need to value me and what I bring to the table." 

"Felix. Just give us the goddamn information. We need those account numbers." Lyla was on the point of explosion too. 

The man pointed at Felicity. "You tell her to stop shouting at me and cursing. I don't like cursing."

Felicity moved back into poll position. She felt sorry for Bazley. A nondescript guy, wiry in stature, aged probably early 40s. His already receding reddish brown hair curled over his shirt collar, a beard and moustache framed his angular face. Pale watery blue eyes squinted up at her.

He reminded her of a weasel. Your typical jobsworth, destined to occupy the back room for his entire career. Consistently passed over for promotion but sly enough to seize an opportunity to get himself a slice of the pie.

Felix Bazley had helped himself to Strang Bank's most coveted information and was seeking to sell to the highest bidder, but his haggling skills were piss poor. 

"She's a mean girl Felix. Real mean. What can I do? You need to give us the information you have now." 

"Look you people have changed the terms of our agreement. I think that calls for a re-negotiation." 

"What? What terms have we changed? You're getting in excess of $200,000 for those numbers. Don't be greedy Felix." 

"Oh please, do you think I'm stupid. Look at the security you have here. I'm valuable to you. Very valuable. I know what I'm worth. But this level of security means once I give you the information my life is over. You told me I had more time but then you haul me in here. It's too early."

Lyla and Felicity looked at each other in exasperation but Felicity softened her tone. "Look Felix, you are a consenting adult. You came into this with your eyes open. We told you the risks but you wanted to go ahead anyway. You liked the idea of getting all that money. You still do." 

"Yeah but I just think that a more realistic figure would be five!" His eyes darted from one to the other and back again. "Million I mean, five million. Look I have the Strang accounts, I have names, clear evidence of illegal earnings and tax evasion in the billions. You need that money, the economy is in the toilet. I know these things. Don't try to pull the wool over my eyes. Just get me my five million and you can take what I have. I'm giving you the most corrupt bank in history." 

Felicity looked at Lyla who nodded. They both walked to the door and swiped the key card to exit.

"Hey," Felix shouted at them, "where are you going?"

"To the cashpoint Felix, to get your five million." They closed the door on him yelling at them.

Lyla unlocked the car. "Waller will be none to pleased. He keeps moving the goalpost." 

"I personally feel he deserves 5 million for bringing Strang down." 

"Great Felicity, you tell that to the boss lady." 

Once his interrogators had left, an agitated Felix Bazley paced up and down, dragging fingers through his greasy hair. "I need a smoke," he told his immediate care-taker who looked at his charge with scepticism.

"Look, I can't go anywhere. How many of you are there? You've got more in the grounds. I'll just open a window in the hallway and lean out. I'm supposed to get fresh air and exercise you know."

His guard formatted a keycard allowing Felix to open windows only. But Felix went down half a flight and opened a window which allowed him to access a flat roof. He stepped out, sat down and lit a cigarette. One way or another he'd get his millions. He'd told Shelley and Tina. He just needed a little more time for Christie to see the light. Just another day or so. 

A short time after he heard gunshots and peered through the window. Two gunmen with ski masks had just shot his caretaker. Felix stared in horror, glued to the spot until he forced his legs to move. They were after him!

Felix scrambled down a drain pipe and ran. He was frightened out of his wits. His life was in mortal danger. He moved quickly, managing to hoist himself over a wall, landing badly on the other side. He could have been badly hurt but adrenalin and survival instinct spurred him to put distance between himself and the ARGUS safe house. Not so damn safe. He had to warn Shelley. Oh god what had he done. 

As soon as he felt reasonably safe Felix pulled out his phone and stared at it. He pushed it back into his pocket and searched for a payphone instead. He called his partner. The phone rang until the answering service kicked in. "Shelley! Shelley, if you're there pick up! It's me babe." Felix's voice verged on the hysterical. "Shell you must get out of the house. I can't explain now. I can't come home, I have to hide. You must leave now. Don't stop and take anything. Just go Shell. Hurry. Do you hear me? Go now. I love you babe. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Shell." 

***

"You are back early ladies. Does that mean we have the information now we've doubled Bazley's price?" Waller asked as Felicity and Lyla entered the Grid.

"He wants more money," Lyla said grim-faced. "A lot more." She was the only team member Waller had fully briefed. 

"Has he given any indication of where he keeps the information?"

"All he'll say is it's nearby and accessible. Curtis and I have crawled over every inch of his computer. Nothing. No encrypted or hidden files. Nada, zero, zilch," Felicity assured Waller.

"Hey, everyone come take a look. We need a team at the safe house, it's being invaded right now," Curtis squeaked, shock and horror registering in his voice. 

"Ms Whitlock," Waller shouted.  
"I'm on it boss."

The team watched as the camera showed three armed masked men in the house and three in the grounds. They were searching for someone, obviously Bazley but there was no sign of him. They watched as every one of the team charged with guarding the asset were killed and the six gunmen melted away before they could be apprehended. 

The entire team turned to look at Waller in stunned silence. The implications were stark. A few minutes later and there would have been two more dead bodies at the safe house. No one said a word. 

"Bazley obviously got away. We have to find him. Ms Whitlock get the police to pick up his partner. He also has an ex-wife and son. Get all three into protective custody." 

Felicity seemed unfazed. She'd survived so many near-death situations in recent years, it had become a part of her life. "Bazley seemed a little unnerved because we moved the timescale forward. What's that about?" Felicity asked. 

"Has anyone heard of the Henshaw Principle?" The team as a whole stared at Waller. It was obvious they hadn't.

"I'm not an economist or a banker so this is in sketchy laywoman terms.  
Economic activity moves in peaks and troughs with the extremes lasting no more than a couple of days, but it's effect is temporary bankruptcy if a country can't meet any debt repayment due in that timespan.  
"We are currently there, in what is known as the shadow of the eclipse. Unless we can access some of that illegal money held by Strang Bank which rightly belongs to the Treasury, we are facing a major catastrophe. Interest payments on our national debt is due tomorrow at noon. We have to find Bazley before that."

"We bailed out Wall Street for trillions of dollars, surely they can support the economy for a few days." Diggle suggested wryly.

"That's wishful thinking Mr Diggle. We have to get through this without the markets noticing or there'll be a run on the dollar by the next day, bringing it's value down to about 40 cents. A week later there could be millions unemployed. We need that information from Bazley." 

Amanda Waller paced the Grid like a caged lioness, hands on her hips waiting for someone to tell her something worth hearing. This was one she couldn't let get away from her. TPTB had been chilling in their briefing.  
She caught sight of an agitated Alena. "What is it Ms Whitlock, speak up."

"Yes, uhm...it's Bazley's partner, Shelley Jones. She's dead. She was found at their home with a gunshot wound through the head. Also the team now at the safe house has found enough DNA for sampling. We should know something in the next few hours."

"And his ex-wife and son?"  
"They are in police custody."

"I want the people who did this and whoever is behind them," Waller said. "What's the name of that journalist who brought Bazley to our attention? Somebody Williams. Oliver she is your contact, sound her out discreetly. He might reach out to her.

"Ms Whitlock put surveillance on Williams in case she meets with Bazley, and put a national security embargo on the death of his partner. If he hears the news we'll never get the information we need.

"Mr Diggle bring the ex-wife in. I want her here. See what she knows.  
Mr Holt, you scourer the whole damn country if you have to but find Bazley.

"Ms Smoak, you're my last best hope in case we can't locate Bazley. Find yourself a room, lock yourself in and work your magic. Do not come out until you have something to tell me. Do you understand?" 

"Yes ma'am." Felicity had little doubt now that Waller knew about her alter ego. The FBI would have informed her. She'd not been totally forthcoming with Oliver about her relationship with Cooper.

The team looked from Waller to Felicity and back again. Then they looked at each other. No one understood the nature of the communication that just passed between the boss and the newest member of the team, except Oliver. He was now certain that Waller had recruited probably the top hacker in the country. 

Oliver's eyes followed her retreating form. Her dress hugged all her curves. His eyes lingered on her ass and he looked quickly away. 

"Lyla you and I are paying a visit to the nasty Bank," said Waller. "Move people. We're running out of time." 

***

"You've lost him? Seriously Oliver? That was careless of you. Didn't you put him in an underground bunker or something? My boss was ready to put him in our own safe house. I could have had the scoop of the decade. Instead we played good citizens and turned him over to you." 

"Good citizen my ass. He wanted more than the 50K you offered."

"These guys are ruthless Oliver they're not going to stop. Think of the Terminator times ten." 

"What guys Susan? Who are these people? What have you not told us?" 

A long silence.

"Susan!"

"Okay, okay, look we found out yesterday there's a 30 million bounty on Bazley's head."

"Thirty million? I don't suppose you're going to tell me how you know all this?" 

"What's in it for me?"  
"The undying gratitude of the American people."

"But I want more Oliver, I want you." She leaned forward and kissed him.

Oliver remained passive. He wanted to push her away from him but he let his hand skim over her hip. "Susan this is serious, you have no idea what is at stake if we don't find Bazley soon."

"Don't be mean Oliver, one little kiss."

He gently moved her away from him. "Susan we are in your office. I will get what I need direct from your editor if you don't start talking to me. Now."

"That won't do you any good. Bazley is my contact. He will talk only to me."  
"Fine. So tell me what you know."

"It's been months since you've called me Oliver. I only see you when you want something. I can be good to you baby. We were good together. Have a drink with me later." 

"Susan, I don't have time for this." Then Oliver remembered what was at stake and softened his tone. "I'll probably be working around the clock on this, I'll call you. Now talk to me." 

***

John Diggle showed his ID to the desk officer at Central Precinct. "Security Services. I've come to pick up Mrs Bazley and her son." 

"How many of you does it take to pick up one woman. An officer is just taking one of your guys to her."

"Secure all exits, don't let anyone in or out," Diggle said, hurrying in the direction indicated. He drew close to a man holding a silencer behind his back following the woman police officer. 

"Stop," Diggle shouted, "Security Services, put the gun down."

The man shot the police woman and turned to Diggle who fired once, hitting the assailant in the chest. He dropped, dead.

Diggle looked into the face of the terrified woman shielding her child with her body. "It's okay Mrs Bazley, I'm not going to hurt you. My name is John. I'm with the Security Services." Diggle showed her his ID. "I'm here to take you to a safe place. Will you trust me?"  
The woman nodded numbly, wide-eyed and frightened.

***

Back at ARGUS a still terrified Tina Bazley sat in an interrogation room staring at Diggle. "I want my son, I want Leo." 

"Listen Tina, I just want to ask you a few questions. Leo is safe," John assured her.

"I don't believe you. That's what they said in the precinct. I want to see him." 

"I promise Tina, I won't let any one go near him. This is a secure building, Leo is totally safe. You have to talk to me. It's about your ex-husband."

"Felix? What about him. Is this about him? Has he robbed a bank? He has hasn't he? I knew he'd try to do something like that. He's so stupid. I'm not interested in money." 

"Tina why do you ask if Felix has robbed a bank?"

"He called me last week. Said he was going to be rich. Tens of millions. He said Leo and I would be set for life. I don't want his stupid money. He's a fool. But I thought it was just talk. Is he on the FBI's wanted now? He doesn't mean it. It's just talk. He's harmless. Please don't hurt him."

**Inside Strang Bank**

"Thank you for seeing us Mr Christie, we appreciate you're a busy man."

"More than happy to help Ms Waller. We always comply with the laws of every country where we operate. If any of our clients operate outside the law that's disappointing, but any crime committed is their responsibility not ours.  
You know of course it is illegal for me to discuss any of our clients but I can tell you that as well as world leaders, we have celebrities, industrialists, politicians."

"We have Felix Bazley, your missing employee," Lyla informed Christie.

"Well I hope you have him under lock and key and he'll eventually be imprisoned because he's breaking banking secrecy laws."

"How do you know he's breaking any law Mr Christie, my colleague simply said we had him. He has told us nothing," Waller said primly

"Well yes, I just assumed that's why he's...I mean why else would he come to you?" 

"Does he have something to tell? Is that why someone tried to kill him this morning. That's attempted murder. Do you know anything about that Mr Christie?" Waller enquired.

"Madam, I object to you're tone. I hope you're not suggesting that I or this bank would engage in such criminal activity." 

"You are required by law to co-operate with law enforcement in cases of criminal activity." 

"How many times must I say this Ms Waller. If any of our clients break the law, that is a personal matter for them, not this Bank. If you press me, I will require the name or names of any such client and ask you to provide a court order."

"Are you at all interested that someone is trying to murder one of your employees?" Lyla asked.

"Yes of course I am" Christie said with little emotion.

Waller looked at Lyla. "I think we're done here."

***

If he was prone to self diagnosis Oliver would say he was mildly depressed after leaving Susan Williams' office. It had little to do with her though. She was just the last straw. He'd made a mistake with her, realising too late, the woman was like Japanese knotweed, invasive and clingy. Not that depression was a state of mind he subscribed to. He was just tired. Tired of the bullshit, tired of the life he led. 

His mind floated to Felicity. She'd shown him how life could be normal-ish, given the work they did. But he couldn't have that. And he'd been a little churlish in his dealings with her at the weekend. He must find a way of putting it right with her but they could not resume their relationship. It was threatening to both of them in his mind. 

He'd begun the process for eliminating the Mendoza threat hanging over her head and he could ensure her safety until then. That was one thing of which he was certain. Leonov would move quickly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Each of these 'operations' have a purpose, a part to play in the evolving Olicity story. Maybe you've already guessed where this one is going.


	16. Breach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Team debrief with Amanda and take the next step in tackling Strang Bank.  
> Oliver and Felicity get a brief opportunity to work together, even if it's remotely. He cannot avoid bumping into how he feels about her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to take advantage of the momentum generated by the previous chapter and pushed this one out. So there you are. Enjoy. I'm giddy.
> 
> Uhm BTW...there was no sex between Oliver and Susan Williams in last chapter. He left from her office, (Hope he'd have a little more self respect than that...IJS!) But he does need a relationship coach.

Felix Bazley secreted himself away in a hideout he believes no one knows about, and waits a couple of hours before venturing out to an internet café in the most crowded area he can think of.

As soon as Felix logs into his email, a signal is sent to two of his would be executioners waiting for exactly that cue. The satelitte tracker pinpoints his general location - the City Centre Mall - the closer they get the more precise is the data beamed back to the encroaching killers.

Bazley knows as soon as he accesses his email, he is vulnerable. He gives himself three minutes to tap out and send the short missive already composed in his head.

**ARGUS Team Debrief**

"Today will probably turn into an all-nighter," said Waller looking at her watch. "So pace yourselves. Take a break when you need it. There's quantities of pizzas, pastries and fruit. Our salaries and probably our jobs may very well depend on what happens over the next twenty-three hours. Someone make sure Felicity is kept fed and watered."

Oliver looked at Waller. The corners of his lips ticked up. So his girl had become one of teacher's pets all of a sudden. The thought flowed naturally, their private 'insider' joke. He was completely oblivious to the use of the possessive pronoun in his head for describing Felicity Smoak.

"Oliver let's begin with you," Waller continued. "What did you discover from our journalist friend?"

"As we know Bazley went to Susan's paper asking to be paid millions for a scoop. They offered him 50K which he rejected, that's when Susan called me. Bazley has obviously been hawking his information around, looking for the highest bidder. She says there's now a bounty of 30 million on him. The information comes from the world of organized crime."

He could easily have acquired that piece of information but it was vital he kept those two parts of his life separate for good reasons.

"The people after Bazley are mercenaries paid for by whoever else wants the information and him dead. Susan will let me know if he makes contact with her."

"I bet she will," said Lyla pointedly with a smirk on her face. "Especially as she's obsessed with you Oliver. Watch out she might be a stalker," she teased. 

Oliver rolled his eyes, glad that Felicity was not in the room. He wasn't sure why it was an issue since they were not a couple, nor likely to be. "Don't start on me Lyla."

"Well if they are mercenaries, someone is paying them a lot of money. I want to know who. What about you Mr Diggle what did the ex-wife have to say?" Waller asked.

"I believe Bazley is blackmailing his own employers that's why he needs more time," Diggle imparted with his usual insouciance, leaning back in his chair hands clasped behind his head. "They are probably the ones looking to kill him, and would definitely be able to afford a team of six highly skilled mercenaries. Five now, since I'm pretty sure I killed one of them earlier." 

Every head in the room swivelled in Digg's direction.

Waller absentmindedly tapped her pen against her lips whilst staring at him. That chimed with her own thoughts. "If that were true Mr Diggle, it would make my life a lot easier, but why have you arrived at this conclusion? And how did they know where to find Bazley?" She had an idea about that too. 

"Bazley told his ex-wife he was expecting tens of millions and she thought he was going to rob a bank. I think he is negotiating with Strang, while giving us the run around and have us keep him safe. Today he'll realise he's put his family at risk and that may push him to make a deal with us." 

"Except that he's not. Letting us keep him safe I mean," said Lyla. "He's in the wind and could get a bullet in the brain any minute."

"I've got Bazley" Curtis shouted out. "He's just accessed his email and is sending one. He's in the City Centre Mall."

Everyone rushed to Curtis' workstation. "Ms Whitlock," shouted Waller.

"I'm directing a team to the Mall boss."

They watched Felix, his fingers flying over the keys. Every few seconds he glanced up at the wall to his right. 

"He's clock-watching," said Oliver. "He knows he can't stay there long."

"He logged off," said Curtis. "He spent less than four minutes in the booth."

"I need that email Mr Holt. Have you got it?"  
"Is the Pope a Catholic?" Curtis preened a little until he caught Waller's glare. "Yes boss, I've sent it to Lyla's station."

"He must've spotted his tail. They are tracking him too." said Oliver.

"I can remotely call his number. It will reveal his position to whoever is following him but if we act fast enough we can get him to dump and run," Curtis explained. 

"Send him a life or death message through one of our secure numbers Mr Holt. Do it now," his boss rapped out. 

Waller tapped her foot listening to the ringing tones through Curtis' console. 'Come on you stupid man. Answer the damn phone,' she urged Bazley through the ether. "Lyla he knows you, take the call if he ever decides to respond."

At the Mall, Felix Bazley was in a state of high agitation. He glanced over his shoulder. They were just entering the internet cafe. He'd seen them rushing down the stairs just a minute or two ago. Two of them. They were the same guys at the safe house. He didn't see their faces then but he was sure it was them. They wanted to kill him. 

Felix jumped out of his skin when his phone rang. He removed it from his pocket and stared at …a ringing message? 

_Answer if you want to live_

Jesus Christ. Who the fuck was that? Felix made the sign of the cross. He hated cursing. And he had just blasphemed too. He made another sign of the cross and looked at the message again. It could be Christie ready to agree terms. He tapped on the flashing icon. "Hello?" 

"Felix I'm still trying to get your five million. You know people are after you. Memorize this number, dump your phone then call me back on 08800 809 809."

"But..."  
"Repeat the number Felix. Your life depends on it."  
"08800 809 809"  
"Good. Dump your phone and walk away. If you run they'll see you. Walk."  
"But..."  
"Now Felix. Do it." Lyla ended the call.

"Where's the apprehending team Ms Whitlock?"  
"Minutes from the Mall, boss."

Minutes after Bazley dumped his phone and disappeared into the crowd, his two stalkers found it.

Meanwhile the ARGUS team once again waited with bated breath. It seemed like hours but it was only a matter of minutes before Bazley called back. Lyla answered.

"You have to come in Felix. You're not safe out there."  
"They killed your men at the safe house. They killed them. I saw it."  
"I'm trying to stop you getting killed Felix. You have to come in."  
"What are you talking about? I did come in. I almost got killed."  
"Where are the Strang account numbers. Tell us where they are then come in so we can protect you."  
"What about my son Leo? Is he okay?"  
"Yes Leo is fine. We are protecting him and Tina."  
"And Shelley? Do you have her too?"  
Lyla closed her eyes for a mere second. "Yes, we have her too."  
"I'm sorry I was awkward and annoying. Shelley tells me that all the time. I'm sorry."  
"It's fine Felix but we need that information. Do you have it with you?"  
"What's your name?"  
"Lyla. Lyla Diggle."  
"My family are safe Lyla, yeah? You swear?"  
"Yes. They are safe Felix. I swear." 

_"We have a lock on Bazley's location and the team are right there Amanda,"_ Alena spoke softly in Waller's ear, or close enough.

Minutes later a voice filtered through Curtis' consol. _Area's clear. Target is not here. Surveillance team standing down. Repeat. Target's gone. Team standing down._

"FUCK!" 

A tableau of uninterrupted stillness formed on the Grid. No one had ever heard Waller swear before. The formation dissolved when Waller pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes and calmly spoke. "Ms Whitlock anything on the DNA samples found this morning?"

"Yes. I have a name for the guy John killed. He comes up as S. Kartova, Russian mercenary, ex KGB. He's a match for fibres found at the safe house. There is also a match for DNA from the safe house for one, Saul Benneton, Israeli ex-special forces."

"Okay, so if Mr Diggle is right, the Bank has called in the big guns via it's well-connected clientele. What about the email Bazley sent? Who was it to?" 

"It's a rambling apology to all his friends, but he gets his son's date of birth wrong which is strange. Doesn't sound like Bazley", Lyla informed the team.

"That's because it's probably a trojan" said Felicity who had just walked on to the Grid. "You should take another look. It's not what it seems." 

"Ah Ms Smoak. Cometh the Hour Cometh the Geek, or is it the Goddess?" Waller clasp both hands in front of her. 

It was the most animated Felicity had ever seen her. With the exception of Oliver, there was a collective gape. Waller seemed to have a very special vibe going on with one Felicity Megan Smoak which few understood. 

"Well Ms Smoak, you're out of solitary. What do you have for me?"

Felicity looked tired but there was a spring in her step. "I'm over-caffeinated and my braincells are addled, but I'll live. I think we can grab all of it but I need much more time to make sure and double check my work. It's not 100 per cent certainty. Fingers crossed. Everything crossed actually. I think we can do it Amanda." 

Waller beamed. "Excellent. You really are a genius Ms Smoak." 

"There's just one small caveat. Someone needs to be inside the Bank itself to activate the download."  
"Tell me more," said Waller. 

"The Strang Bank uses quantum mechanics to encode information, every transaction. Unfortunately based on the Heisenburg Uncertainty Principle you cannot measure sub-atomic information without disturbing it. In other words it's impossible to hack into their systems without breaking a fundamental law of the universe." 

"I have no idea what you just said," lamented Diggle, "but lets break the fundamental laws of the universe I say." 

Alena sniggered, earning herself one of Waller's fire-breathing dragon looks.

Oliver gazed at Felicity with admiration. A fond smile hovered about his lips. There was his badass slayer of pirates. Smart and sexy as hell. He couldn't believe he was getting a hard-on as he watched her. He had little control of his body when it came to her. "I suppose their entire system is hermetically sealed. They have no disc drives, USB ports, nothing. Basically, we can't get into their database without them knowing." He was no where near her level but he was no slouch. 

Felicity nodded, looking at him with surprise.

"So what's the solution Ms Smoak," Waller wanted to know. 

"I guess we're about to break a fundamental law of the universe," offered Diggle.

"Right. Well as Oliver guessed, there's only one access point to the data and that's at the CEO's terminal, that's it.  
I've created a dummy which will sit in their network invisibly, transmitting the information back to us. There's just one problem, someone will have to physically insert the dummy while I try to get into the system. The hack will fail and the system will go down to protect itself." 

Oliver frowned. She was losing him. "What's the point of inserting a dummy if it's going to fail?" 

"Back up Oliver. Stop being so linear. First I hack then system fails then dummy gets installed." Felicity gave him a withering look. He obviously doesn't get what it is to be a genius. 

Diggle flashed his friend a look of amusement. 

Felicity continued with a little exasperated sigh. "When the system shuts down, Strang's security protocol dictates that the CEO and head of security must meet face-to-face, another precautionary measure. We have to hope that Christie leaves his office to consult the head of security, giving us a small window to install the dummy."

"So basically if Christie doesn't leave his office we're screwed," said Oliver.

"Yes, basically." She smiled at him. His whole demeanour towards her had changed since this morning she noticed. 

"It's worth a try. Why don't I go into Strang's posing as a customer, but it must be an existing account holder so Christie recognises the name but has never met the person. Amanda what do you say?"

"In the absence of Bazley, this is good, probably better. I should have gone this route in the first instance. How do we do this Ms Smoak?" 

"Right. I have a few names to choose from. How's your French, Russian or British accent?"

"I can do passable Russian," Oliver said quietly. Three pairs of eyes focused on him, recalling his history. 

"Okay. You're a Russian Oligarch wishing to make a further significant investment. Your name is Olaf Popov. You are the kind of man who has 100 million in the Bank. You were made for the part." Felicity grinned at him. 

"Yes well, probably had that in a previous life," he said with macabre humour. He'd not be claiming his inheritance any time soon. He arched an eyebrow at Felicity, which made her giggle. 

Waller gave him a sharp look. They'd made an agreement over three years ago and Oliver had made no reference to it since. She hoped he would at least match her stay with the Agency. He'd become essential to her success. They had a similar trait, acquired ruthlessness. Not that she'd ever acknowledge that. Not to anybody. She knew deep down he must hold a grudge against her. She had treated him very badly, but he'd never given any indication of any bad feelings. 

"Good. That's agreed then. Ms Whitlock arrange a portable station as close to the Bank as possible. Felicity you get set up with all you need. I'm going to get our asset in the Russian Embassy to contact Christie and make an appointment. We're still inside business hours for the Bank but I'm sure Strang are opened all hours for it's clientele." 

*** 

"Mr Popov I can assure you, there's absolutely no reason for your concern." 

"Really? There are whispers. There may be a breach in your system Mr Christie. Someone in your organization may be talking to the authorities, possibly the FBI?" 

"No, no. No such thing is happening. Strang's reputation is unassailable. Let me assure you I'd know about it if such a thing was happening and we would take whatever steps necessary to eliminate any such threat." 

"What steps?"

"Well, I cannot go into any detail but Strang has ways of protecting it's assets." 

**Oliver I'm uploading the hack. Don't let him leave before you touch him with the go-glo. Just a small amount on your finger tips so I can track him.**

A warning shows up on Christie's screen - UNAUTHORIZED ATTEMPT TO BREACH FIREWALL. The man fidgets in his chair and looks distinctly uncomfortable.

"Is something wrong Mr Christie?"

"A small problem with the system. Just give me a moment."

**Time to light him up Oliver**

Oliver puts his hand into his inside jacket pocket and then touches the arm of the departing Christie. "I don't like to be kept waiting." 

As soon as he is alone Oliver tries to install the dummy. It's not as easy as he thought. 

**Oliver you have four minutes before the isotopes decay and I don't know where he is.**

"The what?"

**The iso....the go-glo. Just stay calm and focus**

"Felicity it's a completely different processor." 

**No that can't be right. How many pins does it have?**

"Fourteen."

**They've upgraded but it should still click into place. I just won't get full information. It's the best we can do. There's no time to realign the output and input modes.**

**Oliver, he's coming back. You have twelve seconds to shut it down.**

**Eight...**

**Five..**

**Three...**

"Where were we?" Christie asks walking back into the room.

"I hear rumours about the security of my existing investment, then on the day I visit your building there are problems with your system. _нет._ I'm leaving. I have bad feeling in big toe. My accountant will be in touch, yes?"

"But Mr Popov, please."

"Have a good evening," Oliver says, muttering something in Russian as he leaves the room. 

Christie thinks he hears the phrase _dog faeces._   
He looks crestfallen. If rumour begins to spread the Bank will be finished. But if all goes to plan Bazley will get what he deserves before the day is out.

*** 

"What do we have Felicity?" Waller asked, joining the little group around her workstation. 

"Strang's entire database is downloading but most of it is corrupted because of an upgrade in Christie's computer. Sorry Amanda, I tried. We have amounts but no account numbers or holder names. I'm so sorry. Christie's tech isn't even on the market. It must be customized." 

"For such a sleazy bank, that figures. So we really do need Bazley."

'Fraid so. Sorry."  
"Not your fault Felicity. You did good. You actually did it except for that glitch." 

"I've picked up an image of Bazley at a payphone," Curtis announced joining the group. 

"Show me," said Lyla, taking the photograph. "Where is this?" 

"I know the general area but not a precise address. I've followed-up on the call records. Guess whose number I found for that time?"

"This is not the time for 20 questions Mr Holt. Just tell us." Waller glared at him.  
"It's Christie's number at Strang's."  
"And?"

"Well we zoomed in on the CCTV to see if we could read his lips but he actually said nothing. He just pressed those six numbers on the keypad."

"Alena that email Bazely sent earlier, did it go to Christie?" Lyla checked. 

"Yes. It went to everyone in his address book." 

"So that's the trojan right there, it was only intended for Christie. The other's were the horse." 

Diggle looked at Felicity. "What?" He was rapidly using track.

"You were right Digg. Bazley is blackmailing his employer. He's either a fool or believes in magical thinking. You'll find the number, his son's wrong birth date is actually a bank reference of some kind," Felicity said.

"You're right" said Alena. It's an account in the name of Leo Bazley." 

"Oh my god. The guy wants to commit suicide. He actually believes Christie is going to pay him millions. They're going to kill him. What's the address on that account?" Lyla asked picking up her jacket.

"1550 Mercy Street."

"Lyla Michaels, you just wait one minute. What do you think you're doing? You are not to do this by yourself. Take Oliver or Mr Diggle with you." 

"Amanda you have to let me do this. I know what I'm doing. Bazley and I have a connection, it's probably a damned one but it is a connection. I've interrogated him, shouted at him, cursed at and lied to him. I was the one he talked to on the phone today. This does not need a cavalry charge. We have been doing that and it's got us no where. Trust me Amanda, let me do this." 

Oliver touched Waller's arm and nodded.

"Fine. But I'm keeping the cavalry on the periphery. You call the instant you need back up. Do you hear me?"

"Yes ma'am." And she was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew. What do you think guys? I'm having a rest now and focusing on something less frenetic - Brief Interlude. Have been neglecting that.


	17. Harbinger and the Archer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyla goes on mission as the Bazley/Strang Bank saga comes to it's inevitable conclusion. Then the archer emerges.

**Mercy Street**

Lyla parks some way from where Bazley has secreted himself. She understands his state of mind and uses an old trick to lure him out.  
She knocks on the front door and scoots around to the side of the building, to meet Bazley making his way out. She grabs him around the throat and pushes him back inside. 

"How did you find me?" he yells at her once she'd released him. 

"I know you've been talking to Strang. If I can find you, those who want you dead will too." 

"I just want a little piece of what they have. I work hard on their behalf for less than one percent of what they get through my efforts. They have money they haven't even earned. A lot of it comes from the exploitation of others. These people have so much, too much. More than they need. For them it's just a transaction. Okay? That's all it is. What about my family, my son? They just need the basics of life. What about them?" 

"Felix when are you going to understand they just want to shut you up. They've already made two attempts on your life. You know more about their business than they want you to. You threaten them. Can't you see that? They're never going to share what they have with you." 

"I can make a deal. That's all I want. To make a deal." 

"And what are you going to give them in return Felix? Your silence? They will never trust you. Get real here." 

Just then a car screetches past the house and reverses back. Lyla bundles Bazley out the back door. 

She kicks in the window of the first car she finds, bundles Felix inside and uses her universal key to start the engine, but they are already being pursued and shot at. Lyla has to drive the vehicle in reverse. "Get down on the floor," she yells at Bazley. 

After two terms of protecting and transporting vulnerable women and children across the deserts of Afghanistan, where there is likely to be an enemy sniper or rocket launcher concealed behind every hillock, Lyla Michaels has perfected the handgun sniper shot. 

She swerves the vehicle to the horizontal, forcing the speeding oncoming car to either plow into her or veer away and go past her. The driver takes the second option but spins his vehicle around and comes back at his quarry. This was the manoeuvre the former special forces veteran expected. With pinpointed eye and a double-handed well-aimed precision shot, she takes the pursuant driver out. The remaining lone gunman has no choice but to take the wheel and keep driving while under fire. Lyla jumps out of her vehicle and continues shooting until her target is out of range. 

She looks inside the vehicle to check on Felix. The passenger door is open and Bazley is gone. It's approaching dusk and there is no hope of finding someone who does not want to be found. 

Lyla Michaels opens her mouth wide to the heavens and screams. 

***

"Oliver, here, take a look at this. I've found something weird." Alena draws him away from beside John and Felicity who are still poring over the Strang data, not that a string of numbers is of any use to them, but Felicity has picked up at least one thing worthy of note. 

"What is it Alena?"

"I've been running a deeper search on our two hitmen and came up with this." She shows him an image on her screen. "This is Kartova going through security at the airport in Moscow this morning." 

"What? That's not possible. He's lying in a morgue, shot by Diggle this morning."

"But it's true Oliver. Here he is checking into his hotel two hours ago." She shows him another date-stamped image. "Then there is the Israeli, Benneton. The DNA found at the safe house is a perfect match but this guy broke three vertebrae sking in the Alps last month. He can hardly walk." 

"Chicken-cooping." Oliver breathed.  
"Excuse me?"

"Brilliant work Alena. Excellent. Can I take these? I'll talk to Amanda about it. Thanks." 

Oliver knocked on Waller's door and walked in. "Amanda we have a major problem. This whole thing is not just about the little guy wanting a bigger piece of the pie for his family. Something far more sinister is going on here." 

"I know Oliver."  
"You know?"

"Felicity found a large sum of money, $6bn to be precise, held by one account holder. That is an extraordinary stash in one place. Most people will spread their assets. So if one individual or an organization holds this amount as one deposit, I'd like to know who it is, given the illegality of Strang's activities. We may have inadvertently opened a very large can of worms. What have you found?" 

"Alena has just found proof that the two shooters we identified through DNA earlier are not who we think they are. She is one dogged investigator. You should promote her you know." 

Waller waved her hand, urging him to stay with the business at hand. 

"The guy John shot dead this morning whose body is now in a morgue is apparently alive and well. He checked into a Moscow hotel two hours ago. The Israeli broke three ribs skiing last month and can hardly walk." 

"What the hell is going on Oliver?" 

"It's called chicken-cooping." 

"What?" 

"You take someone's DNA, find someone else with similar looks, build, colouring, etc. You alter records and wherever the impersonator deposits bodily fluids, one of these two guys will be blamed. Chicken-cooping." 

Waller stared up at him. "Well I'll be damned. Who would do that?" 

"Someone very powerful with access. So what do you know about all this?" 

"I've been troubled ever since a group of mercenaries, obviously professional and highly trained, waltzed into our safe house in broad daylight and took out six of our best men. How did they know where to find Bazley? Then there is your journalist friend, Ms Williams. She seems to have an in on some very unsavoury people. I believe she knows more about all this than she told you. So I took the whole thing upstairs and was basically told to leave it alone. It's above my paygrade. I'm relieved because there is enough on my plate right now." 

"What does that mean? Are they just going to leave it there? Six billion dollars is a lot of dough." 

Waller shrugged and looked at her watch. "It's somebody else's headache. In less than 15 hours, we are staring into the abyss and if we fall in it's bye-bye to my job and probably the entire Agency as we'll get subsumed into Homeland. Which reminds me has anyone heard from Lyla?" 

"No not a thing. She hasn't checked in which is unlike her and we have no idea where she is. There's no one at the house on Mercy Street. Diggle is getting very worried. He thinks she's made it too personal, especially after giving Bazley her married name. I'm worried too Amanda."

"Don't be. Lyla Michaels is one of the best agents this Agency has ever had. But get Alena to send a forensic team to Mercy Street, see if they find anything. And Oliver. This other thing stays between me and you. Okay?" 

"Yes of course Amanda. You don't have to say that. I'm relieved because I have no wish to get into it with Susan Williams." 

"Oh that's a shame. I was thinking of getting you to ask her why she's been lying to us and what is she hiding." 

Oliver stared at her and shook his head. Was Waller teasing him? He could almost believe she was becoming human.

***

Determined to save Bazley from certain death, Lyla called Christie and asked him to meet her under the pretext that Bazley had revealed certain information which she preferred to relay discreetly. Her Agency did not wish to be party to breaking banking laws. 

Anxious to be diligent in preserving the privacy of the Bank's clientel, Christie agreed to meet her at an old disused rail deport. The structure was intact and perfect for her needs. 

Lyla judged the grey-haired Christie to be somewhere around his mid fifties. She had no intentions of hurting him but she was going to scare him half to death, and had gathered all she needed to get him to believe he was actually going to die unless he cooperated with her. 

Christie was now sitting tieless and in shirtsleeves with hands bound behind his back. His floral suspenders seemed incongruous on a banker.  
"You've arranged an exchange with Bazley, money for what he stole. Where is he?" Lyla asked with a smile in her voice. 

"I don't know what you're talking about." 

"I lost someone recently," Lyla began in a chatty friendly voice, "a colleague whom I cared deeply about. I had to make a choice to let her die. She gave her life to keep this country and people like you safe. If I'm honest I think it's affected my judgement and pushed me to the edge. It would take very little to tip me completely over." 

Lyla removed a bath towel and a sturdy hangman's rope from a bag as she talked to Christie, her voice very measured and quiet. She could feel his eyes following her every move. 

"My shrink tells me I have some sort of psychological displacement thing going on. There is the suggestion that if I save Bazley, I'll somehow be saving my colleague or atoning for my role in her death. What do you think?" 

"It's really odd," she continued, tossing one end of the rope over the beam above, "because they're nothing alike." Lyla wrapped the towel around his neck before pushing the noose over Christie's head and tightening it. "I saw my colleague as an innocent caught up in events that she should never have been caught in. Bazley of course is not innocent but maybe he is, compared to you, to us. Some might say we find it easy to kill people and may wonder what kind of person we are." 

Lyla used a hand held ratchet to hoist Christie off the chair until just the toe tips of his well-worn but polished and obviously expensive black leather laced-up shoes were touching the floor. 

"This doesn't scare me you know," said Christie, his voice full of bluster. "We are in America not China."

Lyla hoisted the rope another six inches. Christie's body begun to slowly sway, his face reddened and he gasped for air.

She lowered him back to the ground. "You tell me where he is or I will kill you." 

"No. Please," Christie spluttered, "Don't, don't do it again. I...I'll tell you. He...he's suppose to meet me in about half an hour at the old sports ground."

Lyla sat Christie back down in the chair. Took a bottle of water from the sports bag and put it to his mouth. He sucked greedly until she removed it from him. Then she placed a blanket around his shoulders.

She was finally ready to call in to base. "This is Harbinger." 

John Diggle let out a sigh of relief. He'd been having the darkest thoughts. "This is Alpha Two. What is your status Harbinger?" 

"Our asset has been set up. They're going to kill him. I'm heading to the old sports ground. Send back up." 

"Harbinger you must wait for backup." 

"Just get them there. I can't let this particular asset die." 

"Lyla!"

There was silence on the other end.

"Send someone to pick up the CEO of the Bank. I've left him at the disused rail yard. Over and out."  
"Harbinger wait..."

The team on the Grid stared at each other in stunned silence for a second before Diggle and Oliver sprung into action.

***

"Bazley get down" Lyla screamed as the first rounds of sniper bullets rang out. She reached Felix, grabbed his arm and dragged him down to the ground. She pulled him under one of the seats with her, and prayed that back-up had already arrived because there were two snipers and they had an exposed target. 

The firing stopped and Lyla sighed with relief as she heard the the stomp of a phalanx of military boots. 

Two hours later Felix Bazley was sitting in an ARGUS cell in the bowels of the building. Lyla entered and placed a pack of cigarettes and a box of matches on the table in front of him.  
Bazley raised his head and looked up mournfully at her. He was a broken man. "Is that a consolation?"

"No. Just a pack of cigarettes.  
We need the information Felix."

"You said she was fine. You said she was safe and in your custody. You lied. They executed her." 

"Yes I lied. I lie a lot. I have to. But I'm not lying now Felix.  
We need those accounts. We have a few hours before the country is bankrupt. That will affect every man, woman and child for decades to come, your son." 

"They won't let me see her body." 

"You'll see no-one. You have no cover Felix. As long as you're the only one who knows what those account numbers are, they will never stop trying to kill you. The people after you are highly trained operatives. One way or another they will try to get to you before you divluge any secrets. That is just a fact of your life now Felix. 

"Your entire life will have to change now. We're gonna have to take you away from here, you, your ex-wife and son to different countries, to keep you safe. You'll have to hide for the rest of your life. Money is no good to you now."

The tears rolled down Bazley's face as he recognised the enormity of what he'd done, the consequences of his actions.  
"I did this to them, I did it. Shelley's dead and my son..." His lower lip trembled.  


Bazley suddenly stood up, tore off his jacket and began to unbuttoned his shirt and tore that off. Then his tee-shirt came off. Wrapped around his torso on large swathes of polythene written by hand in indelible ink was account numbers of thousands upon thousand of Strang customers. 

Lyla watched in stunned disbelief as Bazley peeled back the first few inches then spun to unwrap his body. The information they sought had been nearby and accessible, exactly as he'd initially told them. 

***

It was close to midnight before the ARGUS team were finally able to leave for home but not before Felicity had identified an acount worth over $2bn in the name of Teresa Mendoza. 

She had a talk with Waller. Felicity would've preferred that money to be shared among all the families and lives the Mendozas had destroyed over the years but Waller told her that was not possible. 

Felicity chafed at the thought that Mendoza's home country would probably not prosecute them. It was likely that a backlash from the Cartels would spiral into prolonged violence. But she took comfort in the knowledge that they were bankrupt, and now on the DEA's active watch list.

***

Oliver arrived back at his home before Felicity and went straight to the upstairs office he always kept locked. Earlier in the day he'd received a code word on his phone. He unlocked the drawer where he kept the specially encrypted Bratva phone. He read the full message. 

Tonight was the night he had a date with the Dragon. 

Oliver returned to his living space to wait for Felicity. He needed to see her before he turned in. He took a bottle of water from the fridge and was about to sit when she came in.  
"Hi," he greeted her. 

She was surprised but pleased to see him still up. "Hi." 

"Congratulations, you did a magnificent job today. I have no doubt the unauthorized breach in the presence of Popov played it's part in rattling Christie." 

"Thank you. We all played a part, the A-team, but the star of the night has to be Lyla. She saved the day, saved the nation." 

Felicity put her bag down, removed her shoes and jacket and went to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. "I can't wait to hear what she did to get Christie to tell her where Bazley was. God Oliver, can you imagine if he'd died before revealing those account numbers?" 

Oliver closed his eyes and breathed in her perfume. She seemed so fresh and light even after their 17-hour day. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "All handwritten in indelible ink on polythene wrapped around his body like the Mummy. The old, tried and trusted ways are the best. Electronics can be too much of a good thing." 

"Wash your mouth out. I'd argue with you but my tongue is tired and my words are glued to the roof of my mouth. I'm not even making sense to myself." 

He chuckled. "It's bed for you. A warm bath would help to relax you." His breath hitched remembering the last time they shared a bath. 

"I'll have one in my dreams."  
"Felicity?"  
"Oliver."  
"Sorry I've been a little...Distant. I ruined our date. I'd like to make it up to you."  
"Not if it's like the last one."  
"It won't be, I promise."  
"Okay. Goodnight Oliver."  
"Goodnight Felicity." 

She'd had too many early mornings and late nights to do more than strip down to her underwear and fall face down into bed. No time to dwell on Oliver's hot-to-cold-to warm overtures. She didn't move the whole night. 

***

By 1.00am _Oliver Queen_ was opening the large wooden box that accompanied him from Lian Yu. He removed a replica of Shado's green hood, his bow, quiver of arrows and flechettes. 

He unlocked a cupboard and took out a pair of green leather trousers and a jacket. 

He'd donned the outfit on a number of occasions since his return from Russia via Lian Yu. The very first time had been, unbeknown to her, to help Laurel who had filed a class action lawsuit against Adam Hunt on behalf of the citizens of Starling whom he had defrauded of millions of dollars. Then he'd gone up against Martin Somers who made the fatal mistake of actually threatening Laurel. Thereafter if necessary, he approached her as the archer, hidden in shadow and using a voice modulator. 

On these occasions Oliver Jensen became Oliver Queen, the archer who emerged if ever his friends and family were being threatened. It was important to Oliver to assist the police captain whenever he could, in part atonement for what had happened to his daughter Sara but there was no way to assuage the guilt he felt for her death. He blamed himself. 

The archer had taken great pleasure in destroying one known as the Count who had been the source of supply of a new drug in Starling City, Vertigo. It had landed his sister in a police cell overnight and then prosecuted for drug offences. 

The judge had been particularly harsh in sentencing, wanting to use Thea as an example. Oliver had been intensely grateful to Quentin and Laurel Lance for stepping up in support of the Queen family at that time. It was then he'd prepared a room for Thea in his home. Perhaps magical thinking worked sometimes. He could only hope. Although in his heart he believed there would be no reuniting with his family. He missed them so much. That essential person inside of him lived in purgatory and would never escape. But he would do whatever it took to protect his family. 

Oliver closed his eyes and conjured up an image of Felicity. It gave him a sense of normalcy. He imagined he could still feel the imprint of her head on his chest from earlier. He breathed deeply and let it go. 

The archer put on some surgical gloves and carefully laced his arrows with curarare then covered each tip. He placed the arrows into a polythene sheath before placing them into the quiver. 

Oliver dressed, then anchored the flechettes into the gauntlet of his jacket, took up his weapons and gloves and left his home.

Forty minutes later he'd secured and concealed the Ducati and the archer emerged from the shadows. He travelled the rest of the way on foot over as many roof tops as possible until he arrived at the warehouse where the Bratva merchandise was due for delivery. 

He waited in the shadows for his prey.

The skirmish was short, silent and deadly. The archer did not move from the beam high above in the rafters where he perched. His poisoned arrows made short shrift of the Dragon and his men. Several flechettes were volleyed with deadly aim. That focused and concentrated power of will, drilled into him by Shado, made Oliver Queen the effective, deadly archer he'd become. It was an acquired ruthlessness. 

The archer retreated and disappeared as silently as he'd arrived, leaving the Brotherhood to mop up the stragglers, the few remaining members of Richardo Diaz's bunch of renegades. 


	18. The Deed is Done

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the Bazley saga and the near completion of the Mendoza affair.
> 
> In the midst of struggling with their relationship, Oliver and Felicity take some time out for a hot moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There be smut, momentarily.

Felicity woke up ravenous. There was plenty of food around yesterday but the adrenalin had been raging and she didn't need food. She hoped Oliver's more mellow mood of yesterday might mean he was already up making breakfast. Felicity grinned, bounded out of bed and rushed to the bathroom.

Ten minutes later, still in her dressing gown she greeted a smiling Oliver. "Good morning, something smells good and I'm ravenous. Did you sleep well?"

Oliver grinned. "'Morning Felicity, yes I did."

Truth was he hadn't slept at all. He'd spent over an hour in the training room pushing his body to the limit and dampening down the adrenalin that suffused his musculature after a kill.

He'd spent another hour in the shower, needing to purge the darkness that engulfed his senses every time he put on the hood. It was different to his ARGUS work. He wore the hood to honour Shado but every time he put it on, he became an assassin.

He'd finished off his pre-dawn disciplines with an hour long meditation, as Shado had taught him. It was better than a snatched few hours sleep. It calmed him and returned him to a state where he could function again and replace his mask to emerge as Oliver Jensen.

"What about you? He asked, "how are you feeling this morning?"

"I slept like the proverbial log. I remembered thinking how wonderful it was to sleep and how much I was enjoying it. Have you ever had that experience? Knowing you're sleeping and enjoying it?"

He chuckled. "No. Can't say that I have." From the time he'd arrived on the island to now he generally slept with one eye open. Even if in no doubt about the security of his home, he never allowed himself to go deep under. The closest he'd come to that was the occasion he'd slept in her arms in his bed but all that was part of letting his guard down and that could not happen. 

"I'm so hungry, I could eat a cow," Felicity said, pulling out a chair.

"Well you can have part of a pig and the output of a chicken." 

"just eggs and bacon will do thanks," she said grinning at him.

He pushed a plate towards her, together with her linen napkin in its silver ring.

"Do you do this when you are by yourself?"  
"Do what?"  
"You know, set your place at the table with your napkins in silver rings."  
"Always, but I think we've had this conversation before."  
"You are weird Oliver."  
"Am I? How so?"  
"Well, you're not like other people."  
"Come now," he laughed, "you're gonna give me a complex." 

"What happened in the showroom on Saturday? I know something happened. You left, and then stopped talking to me. It confused me after how we'd been together that morning." Their natural intimacy and the domesticity made her forget she was just a mere sex partner. A transactional arrangement. 

"You blow hot and cold and I'm left feeling like I've done something wrong." She wasn't ready to forgive him yet. That was one thing. On the other hand she craved his body. She wanted to feel his mouth and hands on her. She wanted him to fuck her into oblivion. The last few days had been unbearable, having him around her 24/7, yet so distant. That had to end.

His face became serious. He stared at her. If she knew. If she knew about his past, who he was, his secrets, he'd lose her. She would walk out of his life. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to confuse you. It's not you Felicity. You did nothing wrong. This is all on me. An aspect of my past met up with me."

"Is that what you needed to take care of?"

"Yes." There was a faraway look in his eyes. He needed to have the talk with Waller soon. He'd hoped to have longer but..."

"Oliver!"

He jumped at her loud voice and came back into the room. He looked at her.

Felicity put a hand on his arm. "Don't forget I know how it is when the past catches up with you. You can talk to me you know. I've told you about my past. I know we agreed not to pry but since I've met you, you've been closed off and shut down. You said we were friends and friends support each other. You did that for me, not only offering the sanctuary of your home but listening without judgement to how it was for me. I really appreciated that. I can do that for you."

They stared at each other. Felicity gave a resigned sigh. She was not going to get anything out of him. She felt confused in her own mind about this thing that lay between them. She knew he felt it too. He'd let her know that in so many different ways but he was not giving it a chance to live.

She'd been attracted to him from day one and had not meant to fall in love with him. But she had. "It's okay, you can relax Oliver. You've tensed up on me. I'm not going to push you. If you're ever ready to talk I'm a good listener."

He nodded then took a plate from the oven and helped himself to eggs and bacon. He'd forgotten the pancakes, and turned back for them.

"Hey," Felicity called out, "I want some of those too." She jabbed her fork into the plate he offered to her and snagged two pancakes.

They ate in silence, each with their own thoughts. They were more than sex partners. There was so much more between them that deserved further exploration but one was holding back. 

Before they left for the Grid Oliver's phone buzzed. It was the Bratva signal. He went upstairs to find the specially encrypted message. It was a series of photographs. Oliver nodded, grim-faced. The deed was done.

There was just one more call to make, then she'd be safe.

***

A loud cheer went up when Oliver and Felicity walked on to the Grid. "Hey you two, glad you could join us."

Oliver looked at his watch. It was only just after 8 o'clock . "Did you guys not go home?"

"Yeah, but we back," Curtis chirped, handing Felicity a of glass of mimosa.

Amanda Waller had treated the team. There were boxes of freshly baked blueberry muffins, half a dozen bottles of bubbly and freshly squeezed orange juice. At 8 o'clock in the morning, the Grid was in party mood.

"Hush," Amanda quietened the room as she turned up the volume on the news channel.

Moving pictures on the screen featured the drawn and dishevelled-looking Christie, CEO of Strang Bank, wearing the same blue open-necked shirt with dark pink suspenders he had on the previous day when Lyla strung him up. He was in handcuffs, escorted by two heavily armed FBI agents.

The anchor's sonorous words of condemnation accompanied the moving pictures: 

> _Today it appears that hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue and illegal earnings have been_
> 
> _recovered from an apparently impenetrable and corrupt tax haven spanning several countries. But_
> 
> _with politicians stashing money in this bank which has been busted wide open by our diligent_
> 
> _security services, we ask, can the people who run our country ever be trusted._

The team clapped one another. 

Waller held up a hand for attention. Unusually, her face settled into what could only just be described as a partial smile. "I want to thank each and everyone of you for an incredible effort on Bazley and Strang Bank. The Agency has received fulsome praise for this one. 

"I know the hard work and dedication that you all bring to this team," Waller continued, "and I wanted to acknowledge that." 

"So Lyla what did you do to make Christie reveal Bazley's whereabouts?" Felicity wanted to know.  
"Nothing. I just asked him nicely," Lyla responded with a raised eyebrow.

Diggle gave her the side eye. He knew exactly what she'd done, he was the one who found Christie.

It took a while for the party mood to dissipate and for people to settle at their various work stations and focus on Agency business. There were new assignments to research and prepare for.

Towards the end of their day, Lyla claimed the team's attention. "Hey everyone, take a look at this, someone has retaliated against or wreaked revenge on the Mendozas. Whoever was responsible posted these gruesome pictures on the dark web." She pressed a button on her console and a set of photographs flashed up on the wide screen.

"These are the two gunmen who shot up the elevator at the Mayfield Hotel, the eldest Mendoza son and his fellow shooter. As you can see, they're well and truly dead." 

A stifled sob escaped from Felicity. She was staring wide-eyed at the screen, her hand over her mouth. She felt sick with relief, but also dread. Both Raoul Mendoza and his henchman were dead, even then the crime family could still instil terror in her. "There's a message of some kind around Raoul's neck. What does it say? Can we get a clearer image?" 

"Curtis and Alena have both tried Felicity. It was placed in a way to deliberately obscure the message. I suspect it was for Papa Mendoza's eyes only." 

Oliver looked at the screen. He knew what the message said because he dictated it to the Mechanic. 

_Take care of little Teresita or she will end up the same way. Cease and desist your vendetta against the princesa_

"Here is another photo," said Lyla. "This is Javier Cortez. As you can see his tongue has been cut out and he's lost four fingers of his right hand down to the second joint and his thumb has been severed from the joint." 

"Oh my god. Who did this?" Asked a shocked Felicity. 

"No one has claimed responsibility, but one theory is other rival gangs, probably pissed that the Mendoza's recklessness have brought unnecessary attention to their illegal trade," Lyla offered. "I'm not sure why Cortez though, but I suppose he was an associate of the crime family."

"I just know he was somehow involved in the attempt on my life. I feel no sympathy for any of them, but it is shocking to see." 

Oliver turned away. This was the signal for him to deal with the one outstanding name on the list. He would be making a late night house call in the next few days. 

"By the way Ms Smoak, it has been agreed that $1M will be allocated for use by those who have suffered at the hands of the Mendozas. It will be distributed by our Embassy to NGOs working with women and children in need." 

"That's great news Amanda. Thank you," Felicity said.

"Right everyone, there's just one last thing," said Waller. "Lyla will join Bazley's ex-wife and his daughter later at a military airfield to say farewell to him on his departure to an undisclosed destination. The two remaining family members will also leave in a few days with new identities. So that's a wrap to a tough assignment. Well done all of you. Now go home. I'll see you bright and early tomorrow. Everyone has new assignments. That includes you Ms Whitlock." 

Waller met Oliver's eyes and gave him a small nod before turning on her heels and walking away.

Alena was shocked. "Me? I'm going out in the field?"  
"Yes Alena. You're with me," Lyla informed her stunned colleague. "Your code name is Delta Three." 

***

"Are you still up for going out," Oliver check when he and Felicity got home.

Felicity stared at him, her head a little to the side. He stared back quizzically. He wondered what was going on in that big brain of hers.

"No, not really Oliver." She didn't want to go out with him. It felt forced, not spontaneous as it had been on the Saturday morning when they'd woken up in each other's arms.

"Okay, what would you like to do then."

"I need a shower. I can feel blood and death and gruesomeness all around me. I need to wash it off." 

"You mean the Mendozas?"

"Yes, I hope it's over, especially with the mutilation of Cortez, but I don't trust old man Mendoza." She shivered. "Who would have done that? Not that I'm complaining but I can't get my head around it. Do you think it was rival gangs like Lyla said?"

"Don't ask me to have any sympathy for them. They got what they deserved. Think I'll have a shower too. " 

"Okay. See you in a while." 

He watched her disappear into her room. All he cared about was her safety. She need have no concern about old man Mendoza. He'd been made an offer he couldn't refuse. If he came after Felicity, he would bury his own daughter, the last one of his children. How dare they come for her after his no good son had raped her. 

After his shower Oliver came downstairs bare foot, dressed in a Henley and cargo pants. Felicity was sitting on the stairs. He sat beside her. "Hi, what are you doing sitting here?"

"Waiting for you."  
"Are you hungry? I can rustle up something quickly."

Felicity stood up and held out her hand. He took it looking at her quizzically. "Come with me," she said.  
She took him to the Green room, keyed in the number and walked in tugging him along with her.

Oliver stood silently, watching her. This was her move, until it wasn't. 

Felicity turned on the lights. The soft golden glow brought the green space alive. She looked around the room she remembered, her body already tingly. Felicity led Oliver to the bed and pushed him down. He lay on his back looking up at her with surprise but a half smile played around his lips.

Felicity untied her robe and shrugged it off her shoulders, letting it slip to the floor. She stood completely naked watching him. 

Oliver feasted his eyes on her nakedness, his dick was already hardening in his pants. God, she was fucking gorgeous. He'd visualized her just like this over the last few days, her naked body splayed out before him. He craved the pleasure of her. He wanted to watch her writhing on the bed, delirious in her need for him.

Felicity started to unbutton his pants and removed them from his body along with his boxers. Oliver eased his hips up, still silent but watching her. Next she tackled his Henley getting it off easily, again with a little help from him.

Oliver lay back with his hands behind his head, smiling. His expression said 'now what?'

Felicity put her hands on the bed on either side of his head and stared down at his beautiful face, the light scruff covering his strong chin and chiseled jawline. Her gaze glided over the mole at the corner of his sculpted lips. Her hand moved, involuntarily, to trace the outline of his face. Her fingertips trailed softly over his skin, a light, delicate touch. She straddled his body, and closed her eyes as the dampness between her legs came in contact with his warm skin.

He was already aroused too, she could tell. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, his pupils dark and blown. The heat from his eyes scorched her skin. Felicity breathed in and out softy through her mouth and her hand reached back to lightly stroke his already hardened length. 

Felicity moan softly when his hands came up to massage her breasts, his thumbs flicking gently over her pebbled nipples. She cried out when his wet mouth closed over a sensitive nub, the hard suction ignited and spread the molten fire bubbling at her core. Her desire for him flared and her juices flowed.

In one movement Oliver reversed their positions. She was now beneath him, both arms extended upwards past her head and pinned in place by his hands.

He gazed down at her, his blue eyes changing shade as they bore into hers. “You are so beautiful,” he murmured. 

Oliver pressed his lips to hers. Simultaneously their mouths opened to taste the other. The depth and fierceness of their kiss shattered the wall he had constructed between them. Unspoken feelings took them right back to the tender moments they shared previously.

"I do not want you to move Felicity, okay?" She stared up at him in mesmerised anticipation.  
"I can't hear you," he said.  
"Yes Sir," she said softly.  
"Do you still trust me Felicity?"  
"Yes, I do Sir."

Oliver leaned down. "Good girl" he said deliberately, whispering in her ear, a smile in his voice. His eyebrow quirked up sardonically, as he watched her. "You're mine."

"Oliver, please."  
"Shush baby, I'm going to take good care of you."

Oliver eased his body off the bed. Felicity's eyes fastened on the imperceptible ripple of taut gluteus max muscles as his lithe body moved slowly and silently, like a panther stalking a prey. "Oliver," she whispered. Impatient. Wanting him. 

Oliver took his time collecting what he needed before moving back to the bed. To her.

Oliver placed what he'd collected at the bottom of the bed.  
Within minutes her wrists were bound to the bedframe with soft green-ribboned cords. He slipped on her eye mask and stood back to watch the gentle rise and fall of her chest. Her soft curvy lips parted to push out tiny needy pants.  
He spread-eagled her legs, bending them slightly at the knees before anchoring them in place with similar cords threaded through the rings at the base of the bed and looped around her ankles.

Again, Oliver stood back and watched the show and tell of her shapely body, vulnerable and naked, for his eyes only.

Felicity jumped at the unexpectedness of a feathery softness trailing over her body, from her forehead to her toes. Her body writhed and squirmed with pleasure as incredible sensations danced over her skin. Every pore came alive. It felt so good. 

She cried out in pleasure when the firmer touch of the fronds of a soft leather flogger landed with a swishing sound on her body and trailed it's way down over her breastbone, down across her belly, stopping at her mound. 

Felicity sucked in a ragged breath as the fronds trailed back up, this time making a detour across her breasts to brush lightly over her nipples. The interchange of feathery touch and flogger drove her to the edge of delirium. She pleaded silently for more but dare not ask, in case he stopped. That would kill her.

He continued to tantalize her with an interplay of feathery and soft leather touches. As she writhed and moaned with pleasure, a finger slicked through her wet folds and trail it's way up her body until it reach her lips. It was replaced by his mouth on hers, before he moved to her throat, shoulders and finally closed his lips around one nipple, then the other. Felicity was gibbering mess of wanton need, her body quivering beneath his ministrations. 

She heard when he threw the flogger aside. Hands palmed her breasts and thumbs flicked her swollen erect nipples causing her to hiss. Before she had time to draw breath, he took one nipple into his warm mouth, rolling and squeezing the other between thumb and forefinger. 

"Oh god Oliver." She couldn't take any more, but she wanted more, much more. He did that to her.

Oliver released the nipple held hostage in his mouth and gently blew on it, causing Felicity to shout out reactively to the tingling sensation on her already sensitive body. He gave the same treatment to the other breast. A hand made it's way slowly down her body until it cupped her mound. Felicity's cries of pleasure grew louder as his fingers slid over her slit, then took time to stroke her tortuously.

"Oh dear god, Oliver", she screamed but it came out as a long low moan of sheer ecstasy. Truly unable to contain the pressure building up inside her, Felicity dug her heels into the mattress and pushed up, causing her lower body to lift off the bed, leaving her totally open and accessible to his lips and tongue. 

Oliver knelt between her open thighs and supported her raised body to stay in that position whilst he had his fill of her. Slowly and deftly his mouth worked her up to a frenzy. When his tongue flexed and dipped deep inside her hot wet opening, shockwaves rocked her to the core. It only took two of his fingers to join in the fray for her orgasm to explode, rattling her entire being down to her bones.

He licked her clean before settling her back down on the bed. He untied her bonds and removed her eye mask, giving her a few minutes to rest. 

Felicity blinked in the soft glow of light which was now as bright as daylight to her. "Oh god Oliver, what have you done to me," she breathed. "That was out of this world, my entire body is vibrating." 

He grinned and gave her a deep passionate kiss before settling between her thighs. He entered her forcefully, her body welcoming and easily accommodating his pulsating rock hard cock. He pushed in deeper, filling her completely. "Fuck, you feel so good." 

Felicity wrapped her arms around his upper back and buried her face into his neck, as pounded into her, until she keened with pleasure. 

Oliver's arms tightened around her, holding her impossibly close as he stroked in and out of her body. This is where he belonged, this was where he found peace. The darkness receded momentarily, and nothing mattered. Only her. Them. 

"Felicity," he breathed, as the familiar energy uncoiled at the base of his spine and surged upwards. In response her legs encircled his lower body, her hips undulating and pushing up as her inner walls clamped around him. Oliver hastened his thrusts, knowing he wasn't going to last much longer. She cried out and bit down hard on his shoulder, as he pushed her relentlessly towards another mind-blowing orgasm.

"I'm close, come for me now baby," he stuttered trying to stave off the inevitable. 

His release exploded, and mingled with hers. Oliver groaned and collapsed on top of her for a few seconds before rolling off her. 

Oliver lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling struggling to bring his breath under control. He turned his head to look at her. She was grinning at him. "Fuck Felicity," he murmured gathering her up in his arms. He tucked her head beneath his chin. And that was it for him. Out. The sleepless night caught up with him. 

When Oliver woke up some time later, Felicity was no longer in his arms. He was alone in the Green Room. 


	19. Prelude to Vegas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver takes action to shore up Felicity's safety. 
> 
> Despite their night of intimacy, Felicity makes a decision that leaves them both on edge but work scuppers her immediate plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the penultimate mission before the end of the story and it's not as dark as the previous missions. No one dies! There's even a hint of fun here. Enjoy.

Oliver swung his legs out of bed and reached for his watch. It was 1a.m. He pulled on his boxers, picked up the rest of his clothes and left the Green room.

He stood at the top of the stairs in the darkened house listening to the silence. He was surprised that Felicity had left him, she'd obviously decided to sleep in her own room, but he wondered what prompted her to leave. He didn't know whether that bothered him or not. It was a good thing in one respect, it gave him the opportunity to go on a personal assignment.

Oliver returned to his bedroom and got dressed in an all black outfit. Then he went to his next door office and packed his bag with all he needed. He took his bow and specific arrows but not the hood. That and his green leathers were not needed. A ski-mask would do for tonight.

Five minutes later he was on his bike heading to his target's estate.

***

Robert Jackson, billionaire oil mogul, might pride himself on a world class security system but it couldn't keep Oliver Queen out. He came prepared, having pored for hours over the architectural plans of the layout of the house, probing for weak spots. There was always one or two. He'd got into the grounds of Jackson's mansion through a storm drain which emerged over the boundary walls. People always overlooked that possible vulnerability when thinking about security.

His ski-mask on, Oliver crouched in the darkness at the periphery of the estate. He needed to get to the south-west facing side of the grand house, the location of the Jackson's private apartment and the most heavily fortified part of the house. He had that covered too. As he'd expected there were no cameras inside the Jacksons' bedroom plus a room beside it. 

With his bow over his shoulder and a backpack containing grappling arrows, a spray-on substance for the removal of reinforced glass and other requirements, Oliver set off with stealth for his final destination. 

It took him twenty minutes, including a short clamber over the parapets, to get into the bedroom where Robert and Justina Jackson slept.  
With a tiny pin-prick just below the ear, Oliver made sure his target remained under for fifteen minutes, giving enough time to drag the limp body into the room next door, the one through which he'd accessed the house. Obviously Justina's dressing room, given the décor.

Oliver sat Jackson down in a chair then closed the blinds at the window, now minus it's pane of glass. He turned a lamp on, bound and gagged the man, then sat and waited for him to wake up.

Jackson woke up with a low groan, his mind befuddled. Something wasn't right. Slowly raising his head and looking around, he was startled into alertness by the dark figure sitting in front of him. Jackson opened his mouth to scream for security and tried to get up off the chair. It was only then he realised he was bound and gagged. 

His eyes widened and fear gripped him. He stared at the dark figure in front of him, strangulated noises pushed up from his throat.

"Relax Robert," Oliver said through his voice modulator, "I'm not here to hurt you, not this time. I'm simply delivering a message.

"Take a look. This is your friend Javier Cortez." Oliver showed the man the gruesome bloodied photo. "As you can see he met with a bad accident. And this is Raoul, the eldest son of Tito Mendoza, unfortunately his accident was fatal. I hope you understand Robert. Nod if you do."

Robert Jackson nodded his head vigorously, his eyes wide with fear.

"Good. But let me spell it out for you. You are implicated in the attempted murder of a government agent in the elevator at the Mayfield Hotel. _Tell him his little bird in the elevator is still alive. Junior missed his target._ Those are your words Robert, do you remember? Five other's died and you colluded with their killers."

Jackson's eyes bulged.

"You should be facing the death penalty for your role in these killings, not to mention the attempted murder of an agent. But no one wants you to sit on deathrow for years, awaiting a lethal injection. So swift and immediate justice will be delivered if this particular agent even stubs her big toe on the sidewalk one day. I would put that down to you. Then there's your wife Justina." 

More strangulated noises forced their way from Jackson's throat. He shook his head vigorously, his eyes silently pleading.

"I expect you will find a way to make clear to old man Mendoza what you risk personally if the government agent comes to any harm. Are we clear?"

Once again Jackson nodded vigorously.

"Good. Goodnight Robert. By the way, your security is a little lacking," Oliver said, turning off the light.

Within minutes he was gone. 

***

Back in his house some time later, Oliver was asleep within minutes of getting into bed. He was still chilled from his time in the Green room with Felicity.

Once again he was up preparing breakfast when Felicity emerged from her room in the morning. For some reason he felt slightly awkward with her.

"Hi," he greeted her. "Breakfast? I've made eggs Benedict."

"Oh Oliver, that is absolutely my fave breakfast, you must show me how to make it. Knowing me, the eggs will probably explode and the hollandaise sauce will come out like thick porridge."

He laughed. "So I take it you don't do a lot of cooking."

"Nope. I can just about boil water, in the kettle," she grinned. "Sorry but I have to eat and go. I have some errands to run this morning, I want to move into my apartment at the weekend."

Oliver stopped in his tracks. "You...you're moving out? This weekend?"

"Don't look so surprised Oliver. I told you I wanted my own place. I've found something I like and it's available, so..."

"I didn't think you'd be leaving so soon."

"Oliver. Now the Mendozas have been put back in their box, literally and metaphorically, there's no need for me to intrude on your space any longer. And my new place is very secure."

"I see. Am I permitted to check it out?" All of a sudden he felt deflated and a little despondent. He didn't expect her to go so soon. Yes, he was initially reluctant to have his space invaded but he'd grown used to having her around. He was going to miss her.

"Of course. I was going to ask you to do that. We'll still see each other."

Oliver was silent. Something was not being said, he could feel it.

Felicity went to him and palmed his face. "I need my own space. You need yours too, without someone else underfoot all the time. Full disclosure. I have feelings for you Oliver, and I know you don't feel the same, you don't care for me like that, so it's awkward for me to be here."

"Felicity," he breathed, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her close. He laid his head atop of hers. "Don't ask me to say I don't care for you, I do have feelings for you, but I'm not the man you think I am. You deserve better. You deserve to be happy, I can't give you that." 

"You mean you've locked your heart away somewhere and don't know how to be happy. The thing is as long as you're in my life I'm happy, but it's hard being around you right now." 

Felicity broke free of his embrace and stepped back. The tears brimmed on her lower lids, blurring her vision. Her heart was breaking. "I have to go Oliver."

"Felicity wait. You haven't had anything to eat, and what about last night? What was that about?"

"I don't wanna talk about last night, and I'm not hungry any more, I'll get something later. Sorry I'm....." She turned and walked away from him, disappearing into her room.

Oliver sat down. Sadness overwhelmed him. She deserved to be happy, that's all he wanted. She didn't understand. He didn't have a heart and had nothing to offer her, not a name, not a proper place beside him. He was a non-person. He couldn't bear to let her go but he had to no matter how hard it was. He raised his head when she came out of the room.

She smiled tremulously at him. "I'll see you on the Grid."  
"Okay."

And she was gone.

*****

  
Waller asked Felicity and Oliver to stay behind after everyone had left the Grid. She wanted to brief them on their new assignment.

"The target is the Hon. Reginald Crawley-Smythe. Middle-aged white male, an Old Etonian and the fence for first class forgeries of Old Masters to the rich, famous and undiscerning all over the world. He is at ease among the British aristocracy, many of whom are probably his clients, but he prefers to go for the nouveau riche. Meadows has requested our help on this one.

"We know the proceeds from the sale of the forgeries goes towards funding the activities of Far Right groups all over the world. Interpol has been tracking this one particular man for the last three years."

"If so much is known about Crawley-Smythe why can't the British just arrest him?" Oliver asked.

"They've tried many times as has other European countries both East and West, but Crawley-Smythe is very smart. He works with a team of look-alikes so he can be in half a dozen different places at any given time. The closest we've ever got to identifying the real Crawley-Smythe is from a photo taken by a British agent of a tattoo on an intimate part of his anatomy."

"Oh? What part of his body? Was the photographer male or female?" Felicity asked.

"The gender of the photographer is irrelevant Ms Smoak. All the information you'll need are in these envelopes and you can of course do your own additional research. Crawley-Smythe arrives on our shores this weekend for a spot of gambling in Vegas, but he is really seeking new potential buyers. He will be staying at the Bellagio."

"And you want us to ask this guy to drop his pants and show us his tattoo?" Oliver asked, staring at Amanda with incredulity. "Seriously? It doesn't need two of us for a start."

That was it. Felicity lost it. Her shoulders shook with mirth and she ended up having a coughing fit. Oliver had to get her some water.

Waller remained po-faced until her two agents had composed themselves. "I don't care what you have to do or how you do it Oliver. Crawley-Smythe avoids electronics. What I need is the briefcase that he keeps close, which contains details of his forger or forgers, and the names of the groups he funds. You have to get into his room and take it. How you do that is entirely up to you and Ms Smoak. That is the mission.

"It will not be easy. He has bodyguards for that damn briefcase, one inside the room and another outside the door. No one gets in or out of his room when he's not there. I suspect the guards will have some personal alarm system to notify their boss if they ever came under attack. That's how locked down this whole thing is.

"You'll have to find a creative way to get into that room. If you are successful, you'll need to make an immediate getaway. We cannot know what other security arrangements he might have in place. If all goes well, the hotel has a heliport, a chopper can pick you up in fifteen minutes of a call. On receiving your call the pilot will confirm your authenticity with 'Britannia Rules the Waves' and your response is... "

"God Save the Queen?" Oliver interrupted.

Waller gave him a haughty look. "No Oliver. Your response is 'Not this Bloody Century'. You need to memorize that. It's not written down anywhere.":

Felicity could hardly contain herself but she was curious. Why was Waller being so cagey? "What are you not telling us Amanda?"

Waller looked mildly abashed, probably for the very first time in her life. "There's no delicate way to put this."

"Amanda?" Oliver queried. "I do believe you're blushing."

"I'm most certainly doing nothing of the kind Oliver. I'm just trying to find the most succinct way of putting this. For the assignment this weekend you and Ms Smoak are a married couple who uhm, enjoy certain pleasures in life. The target prefers intellectually challenged long-haired blondes, you may wish to acquire some extensions before you leave Ms Smoak. I have no doubt you can act dim and dizzy if the occasion requires." 

"What? Why would I...?"

Amanda Waller cleared her throat. "Ms Smoak. I am certain you have been under cover before. Here." She handed them each a large manila envelope before hastening away.

"Amanda? Wait. What are we...?"

"Everything you need to know is in the envelope," Waller repeated for the second time. "It was compiled by Lyla. If you have any further questions talk to her. You have two days to prepare for this assignment. Crawley-Smythe will be in Vegas for the weekend only."

That was the last thing Waller said before she stepped off the Grid and disappeared, not even waiting for an elevator.

Felicity and Oliver stared at each other, still not appreciating what the weekend in Vegas would mean in it's entirety.

They both ripped open their envelope and leafed through the contents.

"Oh my god," Felicity gasped after some time had elapsed. "Have you read this? Is this for real?"

Oliver chuckled. "Could be worse. Come on, we can do this. Piece of cake. If you can face up to murderous pirates on the high seas, you can be the other half of a swinging couple." His eyes were sparkling with merriment.

"Well at least you have your wish, I won't be moving out of your house this weekend. I'll be joining the swingers set in Vegas for a dirty weekend with an old Etonian and his latest Cindy doll. What joy!"

Oliver burst out laughing. "Lets read it again before raiding the ARGUS store for supplies.

"Fine," Felicity huffed before reading the brief out loud.

_**OPERATION MASTERPLAN** _

_**Target:** Reginald Crawley-Smythe, White male, British of indeterminate age, possibly between 35-40 years old_

_**Additional details** : Unmarried. Prefers younger, blonde leggy-model types of a giggly and frivolous nature. A snorter and a swinger, likes to gamble. Will be in Las Vegas this weekend possibly accompanied by his latest girlfriend. Staying at the Bellagio_

_**Distinguishing mark** : small green and blue snake with red lips (approx. two inches in length) on left butt cheek_

_**Brief** :_

_Alpha One You are Gunter Braun, a German industrialist. You and your wife are also snorters and swingers. You like to gamble too. You could potentially be interested in a Picasso. Don't appear too keen. Let him chase you. But throw your money around a bit. (Not too much. We're on a tight budget). _

_Delta Two You are Mrs Braun (choose first name) an American citizen, and rich heiress. Your family come from a long line of cattle barons. You are a gushy, touchy-feely blonde. _

_See second document for details on immediate extraction if successful_

_Good luck_

"You'll have to gen-up on your Picasso's. How's your German accent?" 

"Not as good as my Russian, _Liebling,_ and you better start calling me Gunter," Oliver said with Germanic intonation.

"What does Liebling mean?" 

"Darling, love, honey. Take your pick. Or you may prefer _schatzchen,_ the romantic form for baby," he said staring at her, an unfathomable expression in his eyes.

Felicity squeezed her thighs together as she stared into his now hazy blue eyes. Why did he have the ability to affect her with just a word, a look. She turned abruptly away.

"First off, I'm not snorting cocaine," she said, changing the subject.

"Of course not, you won't have too. We'll use the synthetic stuff. It looks like crushed sugar pills and is harmless but we'll need to take the real stuff too, mixed with a little sedative. We'll sign for it and have to account for it's use when we get back." 

"So you've done this before?"

"I have. It'll be fine. I promise. But you might have a problem convincing Reg you're a swinger," he chuckled.

"But you won't? Okay, so I'll leave all the moves to you." 

"We'll just have to sedate him before he gets too amorous," Oliver said, his yes twinkling.

"I'm glad you're enjoying this. I'll be glad when this weekend is over. We better make a reservation, the Bellagio is popular."

Felicity reached for her tablet and called up their site. "Okay, you have a choice. A room with two queen beds or a king. I prefer the two queens." She didn't want to sleep in the same bed with him. She'd said goodbye to him last night. He could do transactional sex, she couldn't, not with him, not now. 

"Felicity two beds is not a good idea. We are playing a role remember?"  
"So? What does that have to do with anything?"

"Suppose Reggie and his girl insist on coming to our room to for a nightcap, or something." Oliver waggled his eyebrows. "Two beds will blow our cover."

"No. Not necessarily." She paused.  
"Okay, you may be right. Fine." Her fingers moved on the keyboard. "There, I've reserved the king."

"Felicity, what is wrong? We've slept in the same bed before."  
"I know. But our sex partners relationship is not working for me. I cannot do this. I thought I could but I can't."

Oliver stilled, observing her. There it was. He'd felt something this morning. She wasn't just moving out of his home, she was pulling away from him too. "I understand," he said quietly. Get the two queens." His heart fell.

"No. You're right, we are going under cover and our personal relationship should not interfere with the mission. It's just more difficult than I thought it would be."

"Felicity."

"No Oliver, not now. We have two days to get on top of this assignment, let's focus on that. We need to go to the storeroom." 

Oliver came close up to her. "After you wife, _mein Liebling,_ " he whispered in her ear.

Felicity pushed him away, but he just laughed at her.

Why was he being playful now, at this time. She really wanted the weekend to be over and done with, then she could move on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well Vegas should be fun.


	20. A Little Flirting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Felicity's relationship gets tangled up with this assignment. Oliver meets Reggie and shows off his German, sort of, and Felicity plays the vamp. Role play bleeds into real life. Then there's Suzy. Things get interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translating the odd German phrases used by Oliver - I think a lot of that language sounds a bit like English so much of it is self-explanatory in the context.
> 
>  _Guten Morgen_ \- Good Morning  
>  _Ja, wir kommen aus Deutschland_ \- Yes, we're from Germany  
>  _Ja, she ist miene Frau_ \- Yes, she is my wife/woman  
>  _Mien Freund_ \- My friend  
>  _Kommen mien schatz_ \- Coming baby  
>  _Danke_ \- Thank you  
>  _Sehr gut_ \- Very good  
>  _Sehr schon_ \- Very beautiful  
>  _Niene_ \- No  
>  _Ihr vergnugen_ \- Her pleasure  
>  _Kartenspielen_ \- Card game

Felicity and Oliver arrived in Vegas on Friday night too late for dinner and the opportunity to spot the target.

Once settled in their room, Oliver suggested Felicity ordered room service while he checked out the lay of the land for their escape route. In the morning they would look over the rest of the hotel and the key areas where they would reasonably expect to meet the target. They'd confirmed he had actually checked in.

When Oliver returned they ate, then went over their plans several times, each testing the other on their perspective roles and rehearsing how they'd handle the various situations that might arise over the weekend.  
It was partly a ploy to avoid the sleeping situation. Oliver knew this assignment would be personally difficult for them both given what she'd said about their relationship going forward. He was very attracted to Felicity and this weekend with her was going to push all his buttons. 

"I'm going to have a quick shower," Felicity said, heading towards the bathroom.

Once she'd left, Oliver got up and walked to the windows overlooking the famous neon-saturated Strip and it's high end hotels, a quintessentially Las Vegas sight. He deliberately stopped the rub of his thumb against his forefinger. It was a _tell_ that even he knew about.  
But what did he have to be anxious about? Not the assignment, it really was a piece of cake. The easiest thing he'd been asked to do since the days Tommy used to pick a random girl in the room and challenged him to get beyond first base with her. 

_Felicity Smoak. Being here with her unsettles you,_ an inner voice informed him dryly.

 _Yes, I know that, I don't need to hear it._ Another unnamed aspect of him shut it down.

Oliver switched off the self-talk, turned back into the room and eyed the two armchairs balefully. He moved to push them together. He'd been in much more cramped and uncomfortable sleeping positions in the past, he could manage it.

"Tell me you're not thinking of sleeping there. You can come to bed you know Oliver. Sleeping in two arm chairs pushed together is not a good idea."

Oliver startled. He'd been so deep in thought he'd not even noticed she was back in the room. "But I thought you said..."

"I know what I said but this bed is big enough for three adults," she cut in. "We have to keep our wits about us this weekend and I need your head in the game to keep snake butt off me."

Oliver chuckled and that broke the tension between them, a little. He stared at her, Felicity Smoak was so achingly beautiful and smart. He could look at her all day. She seemed so small and vulnerable in that huge bed, he just wanted to hold her. At least she was now able to live her life free from fear. 

Felicity smiled at him and pushed the second pillow further away from hers and patted it. "Come on Gunter, get into bed."

Oliver nodded before moving towards the bathroom.

She was giving him a break tonight but from tomorrow she was going full on Evil-Lyn, the vamp. It was a tad below the belt but the idea came when she'd gone shopping for their Vegas weekend. It was payback for that unattainable quality he projected, his aloofness, his determined and dogged distance, countered by the passion and tenderness they shared in the Green room. Mixed messages. It hurt. She understood he would never choose her, or anyone, not even himself. He chose to live and would probably die alone.

He was a coward, afraid to step outside of his self created fortress and live. He was the Beast but she wasn't going to be his Belle. He'd have to free himself. As much as he believed and reiterated how he wasn't good enough for her, his whole manner, the way he looked at her when he thought she wasn't looking, and above all his vivid blue eyes, all said something else entirely. Mixed messages.

She watched his loose-limbed gait as he came towards her with just his boxer briefs on. She had to admit, anyway you look at it Oliver Jensen was darn hot, but she'd made up her mind. She was not going to open herself up to more hurt, their sexual partner relationship was over before it really begun. This weekend was her swansong.

Still, a half naked Oliver in bed beside her was a dangerous proposition.

Felicity drew an imaginary line down the middle of the bed and moved her body as close as possible to the edge on her side. "Turn off your light Oliver, go to sleep, we have a big day tomorrow."

"Yes dear," he said, making an attempt at banter that fell flat. Oliver turned off his side light, not sure it wouldn't be less stressful to fold his body into two armchairs pushed together.

Felicity turned her back on him and pulled the covers up over her shoulders. It had been a long tiring day, she hoped they had done enough prep to pull this off. 

She was soon fast asleep.

***

When Felicity woke up in the morning Oliver was already up and dressed, standing at the window looking out. "Good morning early bird," she greeted him, "did you sleep okay?"

"Good morning. Yes fine." He'd hardly slept at all but she didn't need to know that. He'd kept both hands firmly between his knees all night so he didn't touch her. It wasn't an easy task. "I went for an early morning swim before everyone woke up."

"How was it?"  
"Just what I needed, twenty lengths in an Olympic-sized pool."

Felicity grimaced. Swimming wasn't really her thing. "Any sign of our British friend?"

"No. After breakfast I thought we'd check out the place and then decide what we want to do."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Why don't I give you some space to get ready. I'll meet you at the breakfast bar."

"Okay. Twenty minutes," She affirmed.

They stared at each other for long moments in silent communication, pregnant with regret that neither knew how to get beyond.

Felicity regretted the slight tension between them but there was nothing she could do about that. It was his creation, his choice. She hurriedly showered and dressed in a loose flowing tangerine coloured A-line sundress. It was matched with darker shade strappy heels. Her blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders and her light flawless make-up left her face glowing. She felt good and knew she looked good too.

The expression on Oliver's face when he saw her was confirmation. "You look very beautiful," he said softly, blue eyes locked on her mouth before they sought her eyes, staring up at him with guileless innocence. He gave her a soft smile. His hand hardly left the small of her back, a signal to the many eyes that followed her form that she belonged to him. The inner voice allowed him to get away with it for the moment." 

***

After breakfast, at which there was no sign of Crawley-Smythe, Oliver and Felicity walked the hotel checking out the various places they were most likely to bump into the target. His hand still resting lightly on her, they were about to step into one of the cabanas when Oliver stopped Felicity.

She looked up at him. "What?"

"They are here. It looks like they're settling down to lounge. We'd better change into swimming gear."

"Oh no, why would they choose to swim." She'd brought a bikini just in case but hoped it would remain in her bag.

"They are probably just going to hang out," Oliver reassured her. "The British are sun-chasers and who can blame them. It's perpetually grey and wet over there. You can soak up some sun _mien Liebling_ , and I can smother you in sunblock," he smirked. 

"Fine," she huffed.

Upstairs in their room Oliver waited for Felicity to come out of the bathroom. When she emerged in the skimpiest rainbow-coloured bikini that revealed her perfect curves, he almost swallowed his tongue. He couldn't tear his eyes away. Oliver bit back a groan and commanded his body not to react. He tried to force his eyes to remain on her face.

Neither obeyed.

Although he'd seen her naked body many times before, it made no difference. The sight of her in that bikini floored him.

The morning light filtering into their room from a South-facing window gave her skin an almost translucent appearance. Her blonde hair, a loosely knotted pile on top of her head with wisps falling away gave her the look of an ingénue, but the blend of unsophisticated innocence and that skimpy bikini created an image of scorching sensuality. 

Oliver couldn't take any more. He knew his pants was bulging. He shifted the two towels he carried to partially conceal his erection. He could hardly breathe and his mouth was dry; he didn't trust himself to speak and hated the idea of other men's eyes feasting on her. The very thought made him angry. She belonged to him.

 _But she doesn't, you pushed her away,_ an inner voice reminded him this time.

"Are you ready?" Felicity asked with a small grin, picking up a large red cloth bag with wooden handles.

"Yes. I like your swimwear."

"Thank you." She gave him a dazzling smile that rooted him to the spot.

She'd clocked his reaction to her, and congratulated herself. Round two. The vamp was abroad. She was going to play _wifey_ to the hilt without any of the benefits hubby would expect. She intended to tantalize him and make him see what he was going to miss when she was gone.

"Shall we go?" Oliver forced himself to move. He really didn't wish to linger, not with her looking like that.

Felicity grabbed her sarong of soft flowing Egyptian cotton, wrapped it around her and followed him out.

In the elevator Oliver stood rigidly beside her, staring straight ahead. Felicity slipped her hand into his and Oliver's fingers immediately closed around hers. She glanced up at his profile, "are you okay" she asked.

Oliver turned slightly, looked down at her upturned face and gave her a small smile. "Of course, are you?"

"Yes, I am."  
He raised the hand he was holding and brushed them with his lips. "Good. Let's do this."

They exited the elevator still holding hands. At the cabana Oliver held back. "You go ahead, take the sunbeds a couple away from theirs. I'll be right behind you. And remove your wrap." He gave her bottom a little slap as she stepped past him. Felicity gave him a sharp look.

Oliver grinned and winked at her. "What? Can't a husband show some affection for his gorgeous wife?"

"Sure he can my little Pookie Bear."

"Felicity," Oliver growled warningly. That was so much worse than grumpy bear. He'd hated it when she called him that in their early days.

"What's the matter honey? You've graduated from Grumpy to Pookie," she said sweetly, stepping away from him.

Oliver shook his head as he watched the gentle sway of her hips getting closer to the target. As he expected, Crawley-Smythe looked up as Felicity approached and his eyes remained on her once she'd gone past him. 

Oliver followed her and slowed down as he got closer to Reggie. " _Guten Morgen._ Another nice day in Vegas," Oliver greeted the couple with a German twang.

Crawley-Smythe tore his eyes away from Felicity and glanced up in the direction of the voice. "Good morning. Yes, the weather is always good in Vegas. You're visiting from Germany?"

" _Ja, wir kommen aus Deutschland_." Oliver glanced at the man's companion who was staring at him with undisguised appreciation. He knew that look and was used to it. "She is stunning isn't she," he said addressing Crawley-Smythe again.

"Yes, Suzy is rather gorgeous," Reggie said before looking up at Oliver and following the direction of his gaze. "Oh I'm so sorry old chap, is the lady with you?"

_"Ja, she ist miene frau."_

"Excuse me, I didn't mean to be rude. Your wife is very beautiful."

"It's not a problem _mien freund,_ I like for men to admire _miene frau."_ Oliver decided to jump straight in.

"Oooh Reggie poppet what about me," Crawley-Smythe's companion trilled, "am I beautiful too?"

"Of course my angel, you're a gorgeous babe," Reggie said languidly, his eyes sliding back in Felicity's direction. His girl simpered and fluttered her false eyelashes at Oliver.

"Indeed you are, _Liebling_ ," Oliver told her. _"Sehr schon,_ very beautiful. I'm Gunter." He stepped forward, took her hand and lightly brushed his lips over her knuckles, his eyes very pointedly admiring her curves barely concealed by her yellow bikini. 

"Oooh Gunter you are a one, naughty boy," the platinum blonde giggled, "isn't he Reggie, and very handsome. I'm Suzy." She fluttered hazel eyes, taking in Oliver's impressive physique with undisguised appreciation. Now Gunter was a specimen to behold, her kind of man.

Her Reggie was a little podgy but he was rich. Staying at posh places and mixing with beautiful people was a dream come true for a girl from Billericay who's dad worked at the docks and mum was a cleaner. Reggie had made it all possible. And for that she'd even put up with the little kink in his sexual preference. But she adored the handsome men, and sometimes women, they spent time with. It was fun. She'd never kissed a woman before she met Reggie. 

"Indeed he is," Reggie responded, holding out his hand to Oliver. "I'm Reginald Crawley-Smythe But everyone calls me Reggie. This is my girlfriend Suzy Barlow. We're over from England on a weekend break." Reggie wondered how long it would take to invite Gunter and his delectable wife to join him and Suzy for some fun. After all he didn't have long in Vegas. Gunter could also be a good mark. He'd have to check that out.

"Gunter Braun," Oliver formally introduced himself. "That stunning lady ist Megan, my wife." Oliver nodded in Felicity's direction.

Nice to meet you Gunter. Are you a frequent visitor to Las Vegas?"  
" _Ja, ja, meine Frau ist_ American,"  
"So you get the best of both the old and new world Gunter," Reggie observed.

 _Ja, ja,_ indeed," Oliver nodded his agreement with a laugh.

"Pookie Bear," Felicity called out to him, "I need you," she whined.

 _"Kommen mien schatz,"_ Oliver called back, thinking he was going to strangle Felicity Smoak. 

"Perhaps you and your wife would like to join us for dinner tonight Gunter."

 _"Danke Reggie, sehr gut_. We would like that," Oliver replied, hoping he didn't sound too eager. This was too easy. 

"I'll reserve a table at the Mayfair Supper Club. It has a marvellous view of the famous fountains. 7.30?" 

_"Da ist perfekt_. My wife likes to indulge _ihr vergnugen._ Uhm, how you say, indulge her pleasure after dinner." 

Reggie's eyes glinted up at Oliver. "Really?"

Oliver laughed. He'd chosen his words deliberately. "Ah, Reggie, you _Britisch_ are so, how you say? Frigid? Maybe _das Deutsch_ too, _ja_? But Megan, she warms me up. My wife is how you say, hot? _Neine?"_ He gave Suzy a suggestive wink. I speak of the tables Reggie, my wife is pleasured by the tables, a little _kartenspielen hmm?_ My Megan likes the poker games." 

"Oh I see." Reggie laughed, a little self-consciously. "I like to indulge too. A little gambling is my passion. Maybe after dinner we can visit the casino?"

 _"Ja, ja._ Megan will enjoy company, I don't play. I'll tell her." Oliver sauntered off with a wave of his hand, pleased with the progress in such a short time.

Reggie stared at Oliver's back with a speculative gleam in his eye. There could be a opportunity here. He turned to Suzy. "Do you like him my angel, I saw how you looked at him." 

"He is very handsome," Suzy giggled. "Do you think they're...?"

"Hush my pet, if we play our cards right we'll see." Reggie was already filled with excitement at the thought of watching Gunter with his Suzy and that hot babe of a wife of his. 

"What kept you so long Pookie Bear?" Felicity grinned at Oliver when he reached her.

"Seriously? You're really calling me that in public?" Oliver put the towels down on the sunbed beside hers and glared at her. 

"Don't you like it? It's wifey's pet name for hubby this weekend." She grinned at him. 

"No," Oliver grizzled. "I don't like it. Plain old honey will do."

"Unfortunately honey, Pookie Bear it is. You don't get a choice. Now stop being grumpy and come and put some lotion on me. But first tell me what have you learned about our friends." 

Oliver stared at her trying to penetrate her sunglasses to see the expression in her eyes. What was going on with her? She was almost flirty and seemed to have switched on him since last night. He raised an eyebrow. She was up to something.

"Reggie and Suzy his girlfriend have invited us to dinner tonight and I've promised him you'll join him in the casino afterwards. We'll see where we go from there."

"Wow, that was quick. You're good at this aren't you?"  
"I told you, a piece of cake."  
"Don't puff out your chest too soon, we haven't got to the juicy part yet."

Oliver chuckled. "I see you're looking forward to that. Don't worry I think we're in."

Felicity gave him a look and pushed the bottle of sunscreen lotion in his direction.

He took the bottle and watched as she spread a towel on the sunbed, her perky ass turned in his direction, a few inches away from him. Oliver closed his eyes. It was obviously her intention to kill him this weekend. 

Felicity lay on her front, settled herself down and waited. When nothing happened she lowered her sunglasses and peeked at Oliver over the rim. Her greeny-blue eyes sparkled at him. "Get on with it Pookie Bear, do your husbandly duties. Remember to unhook my bikini top, I don't want any white lines." She lay down again and closed her eyes.

Oliver shook his head, reached over and undid her bikini top. He poured some lotion into the palm of one hand rubbed it against the other and began to smooth his hands over her skin. He started at her neck and shoulders and worked his way down her back.

Felicity moaned sensually, "Ooh Pookie Bear, that feels so good. Keep going honey, you have the most wonderful hands. I'd be happy for you to that all day."

Oliver inhaled with difficulty, his breath was laboured and his body was stirring again. "Felicity, don't," he stuttered.

"Don't what honey?"  
"You're doing this on purpose."  
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Don't forget my arms and legs."

When Oliver was done Felicity turned over. She lowered her sunglasses again and peered up at him. "Now my front please."

"What? Can't you do that yourself?"  
"Don't be mean. What are husbands for? Anyway, you promised to smother me in sunscreen. There's a good Pookie Bear."

"Felicity, I swear to god..."

"It's Megan, Gunter," Felicity interrupted smiling up at him flirtatiously before pushing her glasses back up and closing her eyes.

Oliver sighed loudly and began to rub lotion into her shoulders and arms, and over her chest. The gaping bikini top offered him a glimpse of the swell of her breasts. His eyes lingered. When his fingertips skimmed their undersides Felicity hummed with pleasure. Oliver stopped momentarily and stared at her but couldn't see her eyes. She was being a damn tease. That's what she was doing. 

Felicity watched the rise and fall of his chest covertly as Oliver's hands moved over her belly and came to rest on her hip bones, his eyes taking in the fullness of her. She grinned. 

By the time Oliver reached her legs and feet he had a raging erection again. "There, you're done," he finally said and placed the bottle of lotion on the low table beside her.

Felicity removed her glasses. She kept her eyes fixed on his face, deliberately avoiding his lower body. She'd been sufficiently mean to him. "Thank you my sweet," she cooed at him, "that was wonderful. Would you like me to do you now?"

Oliver's eyes immediately sought hers only to find the most innocent of expressions. "No thank you. I'll be getting into the water in a while." He was absolutely certain that if she laid a hand on him, he would drag her back to their room and fuck her senseless. 

Oliver laid on his stomach willing his body to calm down. When he was certain there was little chance of embarrassing himself, Oliver removed his pants and shirt to reveal blue two-tone swimming trunks. 

Felicity watched him surreptitiously from behind her dark lenses, admiring the man with whom she'd fallen in love. Just a look from him could melt her down into a withering mess. But he was unavailable. Her eyes remained glued on his taut ass as he walked to the deep end of the pool and plunged in.

Oliver welcomed the cool water, hoping it would tamp down the fire in his blood. He felt unable to contain his need of her. He'd done a couple of lengths when he noticed someone standing on the steps going down into the pool's shallow end, close to where Felicity was laying. 

It was Suzy. Oliver was certain she was waiting for him. Here we go he thought as he moved towards her with an easy front crawl, his hard sculpted body gliding through the water.

"Hi," he said drawing up adjacent to her, acutely aware that two pairs of eyes were on them. _"Kommen in?"_

"I can't swim."  
"You should learn Suzy, it's great _ubung,_ how you say, exercise."

Suzy gave Oliver a coquettish smile, her hand reached out and her fingertips trailed brazenly up and down his abs, she fluttered her eyelashes at him. "Will you teach me?"

"I will show you some basics but you need regular _lektionen."_  
"Lessons?"  
"Yes, lessons." Oliver grinned at her. _"Kommen sie,"_ he held out a hand to her, but glanced over at Felicity. He just knew she was staring at them.

Oliver focused on Suzy. "First do not be afraid of _das wasser."_ He stretched out both arms at upper thigh height, palms upturned. "You float with me. _Kommen,_ I'll not let anything happen with you." 

Suzy got the message and stretched her lithe body out over his arms, her hazel eyes stared up at him.

"Close eyes Suzy," he said. "Trust me." She nodded and closed her eyes allowing Oliver to move her body around in the water. After a while a smile appeared on her face, and Oliver moved his hands away from her body but remained close.

Suzy's legs sank down in the water and her face submerged. Although they were in the shallows and if Suzy stood the water would only reach her waist, she appeared to panic and grabbed for Oliver. She clung to him, both her arms flung around his neck.

"It's okay, Suzy. You are safe. You can stand." Oliver suspected this was all a game, probably orchestrated by Reggie but he would play along. This was the mission.

Oliver spent some time in the pool with Reggie's flirtatious girlfriend climbing all over him, all the time aware that Felicity was observing the antics with amusement no doubt. 

"Pookie Bear." Felicity finally called time on the fun and games. "You need to feed me, I'm hungry."

"Coming _Leibling,"_ he called out.

"I have to take my wife for eating _Liebling."_  
"That's okay Gunter. This was fun. Can you give me some more lessons tomorrow?" 

"I don't know. Megan wanted to do the shopping morgen." He didn't relish another pool session with Suzy.  
"Maybe afterwards then," she persisted.  
"Maybe," he gestured for her to go up the few steps ahead of him.

Suzy did so, exaggerating the sway of her hips. She raised a hand and fluttered her fingers at Felicity in acknowledgement or farewell, completely nonchalant about openly flirting with her husband. 

Felicity waved back and turned to Oliver with an amused glint in her eyes. "So did you enjoy your little frolic with Cindy doll?"

"Her name is Suzy and you know it's all part of the role play, right?

"Oh come on, you can't fool me. I saw how much you were enjoying her climbing all over you. Do you think they're into bondage?"

Oliver's eyes widen. He grinned. "Are you jealous?"

In response Felicity got off the sunbed, wrapped her sarong around her and took up her bag. "I'm going to have a shower," she said, leaving him behind. He heard her greeting Reggie and Suzy as she passed them.

Oliver pulled on his pants and shirt, took up the two towels and followed her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fun has begun.


	21. Magic Hour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity and Oliver continue to reel Reggie in. Simultaneously Felicity is using the Vegas weekend to push Oliver to be more in touch with his feelings. She might be succeeding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Serious rain on this side of the pond since Thursday night. Outside damp and soggy. What better time to immerse myself in the world of Olicity. Happily it means you get another chapter of Vegas frolics sooner than expected. We might stay in Vegas for ever. It's grown on me.
> 
> German translations:  
>  _und die schonen_ \- and the lovely  
>  _zwei kinder_ \- two children  
>  _Zeit fürs Bett_ \- time for bed

Oliver caught up with Felicity before she reached the elevator. He took her hand. "I'm sorry," he said.

"What for?"

"You seem upset. Let me say again, whatever happens between now and when we leave is just role play." 

"Oliver, I don't need to hear that. We are ARGUS agents on a mission. You're not mine, we're not married. Even if we were, which would be the biggest miracle since the Virgin birth by the way, we are working. Of course I'm not upset." 

_Liar, liar, pants on fire_

Warmth spread through Oliver's body at her words. The thought of being _hers,_ her husband...he let his imagination run riot.  
At another time, in another place he would pursue her. At this time and place it was an illusion, a mirage. "So why did you flounce off?" 

"I didn't flounce, I left because you made me cross by suggesting I was jealous. We are both playing a role. I haven't started on Reggie yet. Just give me time." 

Oliver chuckled and squeezed her hand. She smiled back but was secretly peeved with him and Cindy doll. She was never going to admit that, not to him.

Back in their room, they both showered and changed. They decided they'd had enough of Reggie and Suzy and wanted to leave the hotel completely, so there was no chance of bumping into them until dinner time. Enough had already been achieved for the next stage of the mission. 

"Come on honey," Felicity said teasingly, linking arms once they were outside the hotel. "I'm going to show you my home town. We'll begin with _Egg & I,_ best brunch in Vegas, served throughout the day. Then I'll take you downtown for the famous Fremont Street Experience. 

"What the hell is that?" Oliver asked falling in with her infectious mood.

"You'll see," she smiled up at him. "We won't have time to get _into_ the Experience but we can walk around it and look at it." Her eyes were bright and sparkling. 

Oliver smiled. It made him happy to see her so happy and carefree. "Your hometown suits you. I've never seen you like this."

"Like what?"  
"You know, as if you didn't have a care in the world."  
"I don't right now this minute. I'm just happy being here with you."

Oliver stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. "Felicity" he said softly, taking her face between his two hands, "I'm happy being here with you too." He placed a soft kiss on her lips. 

She pulled away. "Don't," she whispered.  
"I know. I'm sorry, but I've been wanting to do that all morning."  
"Well you can't, we don't have that kind of relationship."

Oliver didn't respond. He just took her hand and changed the subject. "I thought you'd want to spend a little time with your mom while you were here." 

"With my mom? Are you crazy? No way. We'd both get the 3rd degree and you really don't want that. You don't know Donna. She'd get your life story from the time you popped out the womb." 

Oliver chuckled. "I hope I'll meet her one day. She sounds a lot of fun." 

Felicity rolled her eyes. "You really don't want to meet her. Don't get me wrong, I love my mom very much. But she can be over the top sometimes." 

***

They returned to the Bellagio several hours later, tired but relaxed and happy. They'd given themselves enough time to have an hour's nap before needing to get dressed for dinner. 

Oliver was lying on his back on the bed in his boxers and a tee. He couldn't remember spending such a relaxed and happy time with anyone, even himself, for a long time. He didn't want the weekend to end.

"It's all yours," Felicity said stepping out of the bathroom wrapped in a fluffy white towel. 

"Right," he said, springing off the bed. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I really enjoyed our afternoon, we must do it again sometime." Oliver stopped, realising what he just said. "We'll continue to be friends won't we, even if...?" 

"Ye..yes, of course." She bit her bottom lip, "I'd like that."

"But?" 

"There's no but, Oliver. It's just that I'd like a little space to get over our sex partners thingy which never really got off the ground but we did get...we have been...I have been more intimate with you than anyone. There is a difference you know between a fuck and being intimate with someone." 

"Felicity, we don't have to..."

"No Oliver. Not now. I don't want to talk about it now. Just let's focus on why we're here, okay?" 

He sighed. "Okay. I understand."  
"You need to get into the shower. We have half an hour before we do a number on Reggie and Suzy, or is it the other way around?" 

"I'll be ready to go in fifteen minutes tops," he laughed.

***

The Bellagio's Mayfair Supper Club was not just a restaurant, it was an immersive dining experience with live entertainment and dancing. The attention to exuberant detail, with a nod to the Baroque style and the use of bold primary colours was not really to Oliver's taste but he was up for anything. It was a mission after all.

His _wife_ on the other hand appeared to love it, hanging on to Reggie's arm and gushing about his choice of restaurant. 

Oliver could not take his eyes off Felicity. 

He had the same reaction to her in evening wear as he did with swimwear. Her sleeveless figure-hugging black dress, with lace strips down either side showing glimpses of skin and ending mid thigh, fitted her to perfection. 

Her hair pinned in a sleek chignon revealed her slender neck. Looped silver drop earrings matching her industrial piercing were the only jewellery she wore apart from her wedding ring.  
He'd choked in their room when she turned and reached for black high-heeled sandals, showing off the deep V-shaped plunge of the near backless dress.

Obviously captivated by Felicity, Reggie had gone all out to impress his guests. He managed to reserve what appeared to be the best table in the place, set on a dais apart from the others with a direct view of the famous Bellagio fountain with it's night show. 

Once they were seated, Oliver ordered the most expensive champagne and insisted on paying for the drinks, which he planned to keep flowing. 

"So how did you two meet?" Reggie wanted to know.

"In Madagascar," Felicity and Oliver said in unison.  
"And it was love at first sight, wasn't it Pookie Bear," Felicity added pinching Oliver's cheek. 

"It was _mien schatz."_ Oliver puckered up and touched her lips with his, whilst glaring at her. 

Felicity giggled. "We then continued the journey to Europe on a boat."

"Oooh, you two are so cute. I've only been on a boat trip from Southend Pier," Suzy said in her East End of London accent.

"So were you on a cruise?" Reggie asked.

"Cruises are so boring Reggie darling," Felicity said placing her hand on his knee beneath the table. "My Gunter always travels first class or by private jet, but I like to step out of all that sometimes and experience a bit of rough." 

Oliver choked on his champagne. Felicity patted his back but continued talking without missing a beat. "We booked a cabin on a cargo boat. It was great fun wasn't it Pookie Bear?"

 _"Ja Liebling_ it was," Oliver dabbed his mouth and forehead with his napkin. "What about you two? Where did you _und die schonen_ Suzy meet?" Oliver asked Reggie.

"At work," Suzy answered. "Reggie is a member of _Les Ambassadeurs_ casino where I work as a hostess. He kept pestering me to go out with him until I said yes," she giggled. "It was so romantic." 

The back and forth went on throughout the meal with Felicity being the life and soul of the party, making everyone laugh. Oliver was amused at how risqué she could be. Reggie loved it. Especially as she kept playing footsie with him. 

The champagne flowed, drank mainly by Suzy and Reggie. The girlfriend giggled a lot and did her fair share of touching Oliver.

Reggie finally asked the question he'd been leading up to since their meal arrived. "So Gunter you and Megan are obviously a power couple. The world is your oyster so is there anything you'd like to own that you don't already have?"

Felicity and Oliver looked at each other. Oliver knew where that line of questioning was going but he was not ready to cave. Reggie would have to work harder than that. He grinned and placed a hand on Felicity's thigh. "Well in time I'd like at least _zwei kinder,_ a boy and a babygirl who looks just like my Megan, hmmm?" 

Felicity coughed to cover up her startled expression; she kicked Oliver under the table. They were role-playing sure, but his response was a million light years away from what he was supposed to say. 

Oliver grinned at her, his eyes twinkling and full of amusement. "You'd like that too _mien Megan, Liebling,_ hmmm?" 

"Seriously Pookie Bear? We've never talked about it. Do you really want to ruin my figure?" She pushed his hand off her thigh. "Suzy I think this is a good time for us girls to visit the powder room." She was deliberately giving Oliver time to rectify his answer to Reggie's question. 

Suzy giggled. "Good idea Megan. My bladder is bursting after all that champagne." She gave a little hiccup. 

Felicity got up and both men stood. She walked round the table to Suzy who stood a little unsteadily. Felicity tucked an arm into the young woman's, suspecting she might fall over otherwise. "Bye guys," Suzy giggled, "see you in a minute." 

***

"I love your dress Megan, it looks fabulous on you. Is it haute couture?" Suzy was washing her hands and gazing at Felicity through the mirror in the ladies' room. 

"Yes it is honey. You look gorgeous too," Felicity said admiring Suzy's very short white lace dress, her long legs teetering in five inch silver sandals.

"I love your Gunter too, he's a real gentleman and very handsome. You should share him you know." 

Felicity laughed. She had to admit Oliver did look extra gorgeous tonight in a blue fitted suit. Several female heads turned when they'd walked into the Supper Club. And poor Suzy had been charmed from the first time she met him. "I don't have a problem with that Suzy. Pookie Bear and I love each other very much, but we have an open marriage. It keeps our relationship fresh."

"Ooh, I must tell Reggie, we are like that too. We're not married like you, but Reggie likes variety and we experiment, you know." 

"Well the four of us should get together before we leave." 

"Oh yes, we should do that," Suzy said, shivering a little. She was already excited at the possibility, her thoughts on Megan's husband. "Me and Reggie are here until Monday. When are you leaving?" 

"We have enough time Suzy, don't worry. Are you ready to rejoin the men?"  
"Shall we tell them?"  
"No, not yet, we have to be discreet. Wait until later."  
"Okay," Suzy said, looking a little disappointed.

***

"Megan darling, there you are," Reggie greeted her enthusiastically. "Your husband is still insisting he only wants to make babies with you." 

"Is he now." Felicity glared at Oliver. What was he playing at? 

"What about you darling?" Reggie persisted, "what would be your dream possession? Gunter said he'd hang the moon for you. But what about a painting? One of the Old Masters."

"There's no one specific thing I'd like to possess. My parents did extremely well in the cattle business, as their only child and heiress I've never wanted for anything." Megan looked at her husband. "We already have everything we want, right honey?" 

_"Ja,_ but anything for you _mien schatz,_ just name it." 

"There are experiences I'd like to have before I die." 

"What are they darling?" Reggie prodded. 

"Well, a seat on the first commercial trip to the moon, a trip on the Orient Express, things like that. One-offs. It'd be fun to own a very successful race horse though. One that would go on to make millions as a stud. You'd like that, right honey? Gunter would also like to own a Picasso but not me. Most of his work look like he was painting whilst having a nightmare." 

Oliver and Reggie laughed. "I see what you mean. Cubism can be a bit harsh but it draws the eye," Reggie said. 

_"Ja, ja_ exactly. I've always admired Piccaso's ladies," added Oliver. 

"No Pookie Bear. He distorts women. Why not something from the Pre-Raphaelites or the Impressionists? What do you think Reggie?" 

"It all depends on you darling. What you would like to see in your home and how much you are willing to spend. But it also depends on what comes on the market. I do a little bit of dealing myself. When the British aristocracy are strapped for cash they tend to sell off family heirlooms. If you want to let me have your details, I will keep my eyes and ears open." 

Felicity looked at Oliver. "What do you say honey?"  
_Ja, ja._ That would be _sehr gut_ Reggie." 

"Good Gunter, good." Reggie smiled broadly. "I'll just need a few details from you." 

"Reggie, poppet, no more business. I wanna dance," Suzy whined. "Gunter come dance with me." The band was playing Ed Sheeran's _Shape of You_ and Suzy was already up on her feet, tugging at Oliver's arm. He groaned inwardly, this was his worse nightmare. But he rose graciously and led her on to the dance floor.

Felicity watched as Suzy began to grind her ass up against Oliver's groin. Oliver awkwardly shuffled his feet but he gamely held on to Suzy's waist. Felicity wanted to laugh and keep watching them but Reggie claimed her attention.

"So Megan, you and Gunter obviously travel a lot but what else do you do for relaxation. 

Would you believe we do very little. What with Gunter's business, our homes in Germany, the South of France and here in the States, we are always on the move. We relax by staying put and entertaining like-minded friends. I was telling Suzy that me and Pookie Bear adore each other and we have an open marriage. It adds spice to our relationship. 

"Well, I am delighted to meet the two of you. Suzy and I feel the same way." 

"Well, Reggie that's a stroke of luck, why don't we get together before we leave. That would be fun. Suzy and I already talked about the possibility." 

Before the conversation could continue Suzy and Oliver returned to the table just as the Band struck up a slow dance tune. 

"May I have this dance with my wife," Oliver asked Felicity holding out his hand. "They are playing our song _Liebling."_

She glanced at him a little surprised. She didn't think slow dancing would be his thing.

"Of course, Pookie bear." His smile dazzled her. She had to admit he was the hottest guy in the room. 

On the dance floor Oliver took Felicity into his arms. "Well Mrs Braun you seem to have Reggie eating out of your hand." 

"I've done better than that. I've already set up our swing session." 

"What? Not tonight I hope. When did you have time to do that? Don't tell me Reggie popped the question while Suzy and I were dancing?"

"Is that what you were doing?" Felicity grinned at him. "Looked more like dry humping to me."

Oliver groaned looking mortified. "I think we've had enough of Reggie and Suzy for one night. It's time to go. No leaving me with Suzy while you two go to the casino."

Felicity laughed. "Okay, I'll protect you from Suzy's amorous attentions. You're lucky we don't have to check out Reggie's butt tonight." 

"Thank you" Oliver whispered. He pulled her closer and started to hum the tune.  
Felicity looked up, gazing into his darkened blue eyes, the expression in them unreadable but they drew her in. Her arms crept around his neck of their own volition. She laid her head against his chest and they swayed gently together.

Oliver began to croon along softly into her ear.

_The night is calling, oh baby won't you meet me_  
_Meet me in the magic hour, let your hair down in the soft light_  
_Meet me in the magic hour, let me hold you all through the night_  
_Though these days are long and the road is hard_  
_We've come so many miles but we didn't get far_  
_Though the night brings mercy, yes there's mercy to be found_  
_We'll find refuge when the sun goes down_  
_So meet me in the magic hour, let me hold you all through the night._

When the band finished the number Felicity looked up at him. He gave a sweet smile but said nothing. He simply took her hand and led her back to their table. 

Felicity couldn't take her eyes off Oliver. What was he trying to convey to her with the words of a song she didn't recognise? 

Oliver held Felicity's chair for her to sit down then signalled to their personal server for the check. "Megan is tired Reggie, _Zeit fürs Bett._ We do casino tomorrow? We meet in the cocktail bar at 9pm _ja?"_

"No problem Gunter, Suzy is already half asleep. Too much champagne methinks," he laughed. "We're bound for bed too. But this is my treat Gunter. I'm paying." 

_"Neine, Neine_ Reggie. This one is mine. Me and Megan have much pleasure with you and Suzy today. Next time it's yours." 

"Well thank you, it's very generous of you old chap," Reggie enthused. He'd found the next purchaser of one of his paintings. He grinned at Oliver. 

Fifteen minutes later Megan and Gunter were bidding goodnight to their new British friends as they stepped out of the elevator on the 10th floor and headed for their room. 

Oliver let out a sigh of relief. "God am I glad that's over." 

Felicity laughed. "You're such a flake Oliver. Are you telling me you'd prefer to tangle with murderous pirates than let a beautiful woman feel you up?" Felicity inserted her key card. 

Oh he'd definitely prefer a beautiful woman feeling him up, but not Suzy. Oliver nudged her into the room with his body, and closed the door behind them.

Felicity giggled and glanced at him over her shoulder. "You better gird your loins for the performance tomorrow."

"No one's getting anywhere near my loins tomorrow." Oliver flopped into an armchair and watched her. 

Felicity kicked off her shoes and yawned. "Think I've had too much champagne as well." She turned to find his eyes on her and suddenly felt nervous and a little self-conscious. "I'll just go and..." she pointed at the bathroom door and hurried towards it, wanting to get away from those smoldering blue eyes.

Once she'd left, Oliver settled back into the chair and closed his eyes. The thoughts were jumbled in his head. He was suffocating. He breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth, Shado's calming technique. He needed to get out of the room. He couldn't be around her right now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The words Oliver was crooning to Felicity came from Sons of New York's _Magic Hour._
> 
> There's probably one last chapter in this Vegas arc before the final mission, an arc leading to the end of this story, and one which takes us back to the beginning.


	22. The Sting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Felicity have reached the final stages of this mission and it has really messed with Oliver's head.
> 
> They have an unexpected visitor before they can conclude the sting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oliver broods. When does he not.

Oliver was brooding.

He sat listening to the faint sounds coming from the bathroom where she was getting ready for bed. His body hummed with restless energy. These last few days in such close proximity to her had done his head in.

Felicity came out of the bathroom in a very mini nightgown with more lace than black satin. It showed a lot of her. Not usually her thing, but part of her Vegas _trousseau._ The scanty garment had sheer cups and just about covered her ass.

Oliver's eyes lingered on her taut nipples pushing against the sheer material; the lacy bits on her hips and upper thigh clearly indicated she wore nothing underneath. His cock twitched in his pants, and he licked his dry lips.

Felicity got hurriedly into bed and looked across the room at Oliver. He was still fully dressed with his suit jacket and tie on, the items of clothing he normally discarded immediately. "Hey, you're not getting ready for bed?"

He said nothing, just continued to stare at her. Then he got up, walked to the bed and stood looking down at her. "I'm not ready to sleep yet, I need to stretch my legs for a while."

Felicity stared up at him. He seemed sad. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." His finger stroked her face. "You go to sleep I won't be long."

There was a world of words that needed to be spoken but he held back. All his words were sealed in a displaced heart and he didn't know how to let them out.

"Okay." That one word came out breathily, nervously. She felt out of kilter, her heart was beating too fast. With just a word she could stop him leaving, but she watched him walk away. Part of her was relieved because her resolve was rapidly slipping away. She'd probably pushed him too far but she felt no sense of elation or triumph, just deflated and upset.

***

Oliver walked down the ten flights of stairs to the reception, out of the hotel and continued along the famous Strip taking in the sights and sounds of the night. The glitz and glare did nothing to obliterate his thoughts. His mind was in turmoil. His feelings for Felicity Smoak were overwhelming. He couldn't lie in the bed beside her, he needed to clear his head space.

In an alternate universe Lian Yu and all that followed would not have happened. He could court her, woo her and eventually make her his. He'd purchase his vineyard and they would live there with their children. He would want children. His words to Reggie were wishful thinking though. He lived in darkness. He did dark things and could not bring her into that. He couldn't even claim his own name. He could not live a double life with her, he kept too many secrets.

Now might be a good time for him to move on, leave ARGUS and get as far away from Starling City as he could. It was not possible to keep working alongside Felicity and having to see her every day. It would also solve his Tommy problem. His mother and sister need never know he was still alive. There was just one thing to clear up, his outstanding debt to the Bratva. He and Alexi Leonov needed to talk.

When Oliver turned back towards the hotel, he didn't return to their room but diverted his footsteps to Tap, the Bellagio's sports bar. He ordered a cold beer and watched the replay of old games on the 60in HD flat screen.

***

When Felicity woke the next morning she was immediately aware of the pressure of Oliver's body against her back. Her shortie nightie had ridden up her body during the night and her naked ass was pressed into his groin. The arm slung across her upper body ended in a hand cupping her breast.

Felicity froze. _Frak._

She panicked for a moment and drew a deep slow breath. She didn't hear when he came back, must have been sometime in the early hours of the morning. Now here she was totally exposed with mister grabby. She couldn't tell whether he was awake. He was so still. She tried gently to move his hand but stilled when his body inched closer to hers.

Oliver was alert as soon as Felicity stirred. It took a few moments to realise that her naked lower body was pressed against him and where his hand was. He moved it to her naked thigh. "Felicity," he whispered, his lips brushed her shoulders. His body stirred. Nothing could quench his need for her.

Felicity turned to face him, and they stared into the other's eyes. "I don't want to let you go," he said.

"I don't want to let you go either, but I'm already gone Oliver. We want different things. The problem is I fell in love with you."

He moved to kiss her. "Don't," she put her hand over his mouth, we can't do this."

"Yes we can," he breathed, removing her hand. His lips touched hers and he pulled her body to him.

There was a loud knocking at the door.

Oliver groaned.

"Who's that?" Felicity whispered.  
She reached for her phone. "It's just after 8, did you order breakfast?"

"No. I didn't."

The knocking came again.

Oliver got out of bed, pulled on his pants and t-shirt and went to the door. He looked through the peep-hole and opened the door. "Can I help you?"

"Is my daughter here?"

"Your daughter? I don't think so. You must have the wrong room number."

"I don't think so. This is the Braun's room number. Are you Mr Braun?"  
The woman tried to look around his body, she wasn't tall enough to look over his shoulder.

Oliver felt Felicity's hand on his arm. She now had on a bathrobe. "Mom," she said in a loud stage whisper, "what are you doing here?"

Oliver looked from one to the other. _Mom? This is Felicity's mom?_

"Felicity, it is you."

Felicity pulled Donna inside and closed the door. "How did you find me?"

"Are you kidding Felicity? Do you think my baby girl can come to Vegas and I don't know? People know you are my daughter and word gets around."

"Mom you can't be here. You have to go. I'll come and see you soon but you have to go right now."

Donna looked at Oliver. "Who is he? Is that your boyfriend? Hello." Donna held her hand out. "I'm Donna Smoak, Felicity's mom. My, you are a good looking one. Are you my daughter's boyfriend? She has certainly picked a looker, rich too, if you can afford to stay here."

"Nice to meet you Ms Smoak, I'm Oliver." His eyes sparkled with amusement, taking in the vivacious blond who looked more like Felicity's older sister.

"Very nice to meet you too Oliver. You can call me Donna." She took his arm and led him towards the two armchairs. Come and tell me where you met my daughter. She's told me nothing about you. How long have you been dating? Are you two having a dirty weekend away?" She nudged Oliver suggestively.

"Mom. Stop. Do you know what time it is?"

"I had to come early before work, to make sure I found you before you disappeared."

"Okay, here's what's gonna happen." Felicity took her mother's arm before she could sit down and dragged her away from Oliver. "You are going to go home now and I'll come and see you soon."

"Why? Can't we at least have breakfast together. The last time I heard from you, you had just returned from Madagascar. Ray said he hadn't seen you either.  
"One of my friends told me a friend of hers who works here said she'd seen you, but you were registered as Mrs Braun. I had to come and see what was going on. Don't tell me you came here to get married Felicity. I'll be really upset if that's what you've done." She grabbed Felicity's hand and examined the wedding ring on her finger.

Felicity looked helplessly at Oliver.

It was time for him to step in and rescue her. "You've made us Donna. You'd make a great detective. Your daughter and I work together for the IRS, and we are dating. This weekend we're in Vegas on a sting operation so it's important Felicity and I remain incognito as Megan and Gunter Braun."

"Oh, I see," Donna grinned, "so you are working together but as a real couple. Felicity why didn't you just tell me that. I hope I didn't spoil your sting Oliver, I mean Gunter."

"No. It's fine. No harm done. I tell you what, why don't we have breakfast together but not in the hotel, how is that?"

"That would be nice, at least I get to spend a little time with my baby girl. Why don't I give you two some space and wait for you downstairs."

"Mom while you're waiting don't say anything to anyone."

"Felicity, I know what a sting is. I'm not going blow your cover."

As soon as Donna left the room, Felicity gave Oliver the evil eye. "Why did you say we were dating?"

"Because that's what she wanted to hear and it worked like a charm, much better than you trying to get her to go home."

"Fine, now I have to explain why we broke up and get the 3rd degree about that."

Oliver watched her and wondered what would have happened if Donna Smoak hadn't turned up at precisely the wrong time. "Just say I wasn't your type."  
"You're enjoying this."  
"No I'm not," he said we've a grin on his face.

Twenty-five minutes later Oliver and the two women were talking down the Strip to find breakfast with Donna talking animatedly, her arm tucked into Oliver's.

***

Oliver stared at his girl. That's how he thought of her. _His girl._ The girl he couldn't have. She wore a long red dress, showing off her faintly tanned arms and exposed back. Her hair pinned to one side, fell to the front of that shoulder in soft curls. her bow-shaped lips matched the colour of the dress. She was easily the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.

"Are you ready Oliver, do you have everything?"  
"Yes dear."  
"Well just check."

"Felicity you're panicking. I've paid our hotel bill, our bags are already on the roof. Everything we need is concealed on my person and in your purse I hope. All we need to do is get Reggie and his girl to invite us to their room after you've busted the casino bank. Once that happens the mission is complete. Trust me. So can we go now? It's almost 9 0'clock which is when I told Reggie we'd met them."

"Fine. Let's go then."  
"You look very beautiful tonight by the way."  
"Thank you." She eyed him over, he was all kinds of yum in his DJ too but she deliberately shut down where her thoughts were taking her.

Reggie and Suzy were already waiting in the opulent Baccarat Bar with it's view of the casino below and its high rollers. The Bar's red and gold furniture and bold decorations reminded Oliver of something out of Arabian Nights.

"Ah, here she is, the beautiful Megan." Reggie rose from his seat to kiss Felicity's hand, and Oliver kissed Suzy on both cheeks.

Reggie signalled to a server and ordered a couple of bottles of the best champagne. "We'll have some fun tonight Gunter, old chap. Are you up for it?"

 _"Ja, ja."_ Oliver knew the next few hours would feel like a life time.

As soon as Reggie and Felicity left, Suzy placed her hand on Oliver's knee and pushed her breast against his arm. "Are you and Megan staying in Las Vegas long? Reggie and me are going back to England tomorrow."

"Depends on my Megan, whatever _mien frau_ wants. I try always to please her."

"Ooh, I bet you know how to please the ladies, Gunter," she nudged him playfully.

"I try, _Liebling_ , I try."

"I bet you do, gorgeous man. Do you like me Gunter?"  
_Ja._ You are beautiful Suzy."

"Kiss me Gunter, Megan won't mind, she told me you two had an open marriage. Just one little kiss."

Oliver pressed his lips to Suzy's.

"Darling Gunter, I know you Germans are shy but you can do better than that." Suzy's fingers traced patterns on Oliver's thigh, inching towards his inside leg.

Oliver placed his hand over hers, and pressed his lips to her ear. "Be patient _Liebling._ Later. We'll have some fun. Would you like some more champagne?"

Suzy giggled. "Yes please sweetie. You're gorgeous Gunter, I'd definitely have you if I wasn't with Reggie's, but maybe later. My Reggie likes to watch."

"You'd have to share _mitt_ my Megan _Liebling."_

"Oh I don't mind Gunter," Suzy giggled, "I like Megan too."

Oliver glanced at his watch behind Suzy's back. Fuck. It's only been half an hour.

"Tell me of your _familie_ Suzy, _Ihre Brüder und Schwestern_. Your families."

Oliver half listened while Suzy prattled on about her life in England. He refilled her glass frequently, and kept asking inane questions to keep her talking.

His eyes remained peeled on his lady in red. She appeared to be having fun, giving an excited little clap ocasionally as she won. God, she was stunning. She'd told him the last hour would be spent on the Blackjack table where she hoped to do some damage. That would be his signal.

Oliver breathed a sigh of relief when Felicity finally seated herself between the dealer and Reggie, and flexed her fingers. She was ready to rock and roll. It meant this part of the evening was almost over.

Completely oblivious of the other players, her focus and concentration intense, Felicity took on the House. Just over an hour later Management was asking Mrs Braun to retire from the table. She looked up at him and waved. Oliver grinned, shaking his head.

Half an hour later the foursome were up in Reggie's and Suzy suite, the two guards outside having been dismissed with a "That'll be all for tonight boys." 

"I wish we had longer to get to know you better. Me and Suzy have enjoyed meeting you both," Reggie avowed.

"The world is small Reggie, the journey to mainland Europe when Pookie and I are there is no distance at all. And we can always come to London, right sweetheart," Megan said looking at her husband.

"Give me your details Gunter, I will be looking out for an Old Master for you but if I find one, you will have to move quickly."

 _"Ja, ja._ Just let me know Reggie." Oliver removed a business card from his wallet. The embossed expensive looking card designated him as Chairman & CEO, Braun Group, Munich, with a PO Box and telephone number. It was an ARGUS cover number manned throughout the operation.

Oliver handed Reggie the card. "Wherever I am in the world, you find me here, this number. How long for you to find my painting Reggie?"

"Not long old man, a few weeks maybe. Things come up all the time, I have good connections. Let me note down your details right away."

Reggie disappeared into the bedroom and returned a few minutes later. He rubbed his palms together, "now lets get down to business, like having some fun. Gunter would you like to do the honours?" Reggie nodded towards two bottles of champagne in a silver bucket.

" _Ja, ja mein freund_ , this is _gut, sehr gut._ "Oliver opened the first bottle and poured a glass for the two women. He surreptitiously dropped a small pill into Suzy's, who was already half cut from the amount she'd already drunk.

Oliver poured two more glasses of champagne and gave the tampered one to Reggie. That tiny tasteless pill was enough to put down a rhino. Once the target downed that first glass, they would probably sleep for a straight twelve hours.

"Come and sit next to me Gunter," Suzy said, tapping the seat on the couch.

_"Komen Liebling._ First I have something for you and Reggie, will you join us in a little, how you say, recreational..."

"Oh top man Gunter, top man," Reggie said, already getting on his hunches on the floor beside the coffee table, an expectant expression on his face.

Oliver withdrew the small folded foil from his inside jacket pocket and tossed it to Reggie. "Make yourself happy _mien freund."_

"Indeed Gunter, indeed."

Oliver took an identically folded foil but from his jacket pocket, a powder made out of sugar pills.

"This is good stuff Gunter." Reggie had already drawn his first line. "Ladies come and join us." 

"You boys go ahead," Felicity encouraged. "Suzy and I are going to start without you."

"Naughty girl Megan, I'm watching you, I like to watch, don't I Suze." Reggie was starting to have a good time.

"Yes poppet. Me and Megan will give you a show tonight Reg." Suzy finished her first glass of champagne and was going for another.

Oliver knocked back his glass of champagne and poured another. There was no time for sipping. He watched Reggie do the same. In another few minutes it would be all over.

From the corner of his eye Oliver could see Felicity slowly pulling down the zip on Suzy's dress and kissing the girl's shoulder. She looked at him and smirked.

"More champagne, we need more champagne," Suzy giggled before she passed out.

Both Oliver and Felicity looked at Reggie seated on the floor, his head lolling back on the seat behind him, his eyes closed.

Oliver put a finger to his lips, counted down five minutes on his watch then nodded to Felicity. They both moved to the bedroom, which had two Queen-sized beds.

"See, I told you," whispered Felicity. "Swingers would have Queen beds, it makes perfect sense." 

Oliver rolled his eyes. "You check out the safe, I'll look for the briefcase."

Felicity took her implements from her purse. This was as easy as pie. The Bellagio's security sucked. In the safe she found passports, money, Suzy's jewellery, Gunter Braun's business card and a list of some sort. 

Jackport. She had the list of names of people Crawley-Smythe had defrauded in the last 12 months, or intended to. There were dozens of names. Braun was the last one. She put everything back into the safe except the list and the Braun business card, and locked it again.

"Have you found the briefcase? Felicity asked in a stage whisper.

"You can talk as loud as you want, they won't wake before midday, except Reggie who's had a double dose." Oliver held up a large brown leather case that looked like an old-fashioned doctor's bag, with two padlocks that were now opened. "What did you find?" He asked.

"The last names he has defrauded plus your card."

"I suppose I have to smuggle all this stuff out on my person since nothing else is going to fit into that dress."

Felicity shrugged. "I had to look the part."

"Yeah Smoak you nailed it," he grinned.

"Hurry up Oliver, we need to get out of here."

"Okay, okay. You call in our ride, I'll put those two to bed. They need a lengthy sleep, and I need to check Reggie's you know what."

Felicity giggled. "Don't forget to take a photo."

Minutes later Oliver and Felicity staggered out of Crawley-Symthe's suite with their arms around each other, in a perfect performance of an inebriated couple. Felicity called out a cheery "great evening darlings, see you tomorrow," before closing the door.

There was no one in the corridor but they kept up the inebriated act until the elevator doors closed. Then they gave each other a high five, before stepping out on the roof of the Hotel Bellagio to wait for their ride home. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing to it, easy as pie...  
> And Mama Smoak - the c/blocker! :}


	23. First Step

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver is pining. So is Felicity.  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final arc of this story. A lot happens, so I'll begin.

It was a month since Felicity left his home and Oliver was depressed. Even he had to admit that. The house felt desolate and empty. It had never been like this before. His home missed her. 

The weekend he'd spent with Felicity in Vegas pretending to be her husband had thrown him for a loop. Although they'd been playing a role, the intensity of the whole dynamic involved in 'acting-as-if' and living with her in such intimate proximity had addled his brain. It killed him. It showed him what was possible, even while being an unattainable dream. 

The most painful thing was her unambiguous declaration of love for him. Unconditional, seeking nothing in return except to preserve her emotional well being and that meant she couldn't continue a mere sex partner relationship. 

He missed talking, eating and laughing with her. He even missed those, mind-numbing for him, shows she liked and sometimes made him watch. He would gladly watch a whole damn boxset with her from end to end if it meant he could recapture that time again. 

Above all he missed making to love to her, not having transactional sex, and couldn't bear the thought of going back to Vivienne. 

The one thing Oliver was unable to acknowledge was that he'd fallen in love with Felicity Smoak. 

Unthinkable. 

Oliver's misery increased daily, heightened by her presence on the Grid. He asked Lyla to not pair them for missions, unless absolutely essential. 

Diggle was very aware of his friend's misery. Oliver seemed to have sunk back into the state of moroseness that followed him from Metak prison and lasted pretty much until Felicity arrived.

Digg eventually persuaded Oliver to accompany him to The Irish Pub not far from ARGUS. It specialised in European beers, including пиво pivo, the Russian beer Oliver like too drink, and not quite to Digg's taste. 

"Do you wanna tell me what's going on with you Oliver?"  
"I don't know what you mean Diggle, I'm fine." 

"It's me you're talking to Oliver. You're grumpy and bad tempered. You shout at Curtis and Alena regularly." 

Oliver shrugged and took a swig from his bottle. 

"So, what's happening with you and Felicity?" 

Oliver stared at Diggle and took another swig.

Ignoring his friend's silence, Digg pushed on. "You've been seeing her. I'd hardly seen you smile until she arrived, and you've been laughing. If I didn't know better I'd say you seemed happy. A first for you. Lyla told me you asked not to work with Felicity. What happened between you two?" 

"Nothing."  
"Oliver."  
"Leave it Digg. It's just not going to work between us."  
"Why not."  
"Because." Oliver sighed and put his beer bottle to his mouth again. 

"Did you even give it a chance? You care for her don't you? Why don't you give yourself a break Oliver. Do you mean to work every day that God gives and grow old alone? Not a happy prospect my friend." 

"Diggle I'm not a good prospect for anybody, and definitely not Felicity." 

"Do you know what Oliver, you should drop the suffering hero or martyr or whatever hell archetypal character you've been playing out since the island and ask Felicity out." 

"Digg I can't. Can we drop it? How are you and Lyla doing? Have you set the wedding date yet?" 

Diggle sighed and drank his beer. Oliver was the most infuriating person he would ever meet. 

Oliver struggled with his inner demons for the rest of the week following his conversation with Diggle. The fierce internal battle and debate actually offered a little respite from the numbness that had settled on him since Felicity left. 

He finally made a decision, for better or worse he was throwing caution to the wind. 

***

Felicity loved her job at ARGUS but was beginning to feel the stress of being in such close proximity with Oliver and yet they were so distant. Whenever she caught his eye, he hastily looked away. Felicity presumed he'd asked not to work with her because they rarely partnered. 

She fantasized about him all the time and toyed with the idea of just turning up at his home, grab him by the collar and shake him. She knew he wanted her and not just for sex. He was so damn stubborn. 

The relative camaraderie of their Vegas weekend had all but disappeared. She often wondered what would've happen if Donna hadn't turned up at the Bellagio that Sunday. They'd probably have great sex but end up exactly here.

It was Friday night and she imagined him picking up his hamper at the deli. She remembered that first night she slept in his home after the Mendoza's came to kill her, how gentle and caring he was. He'd held her all night after her nightmare. 

Felicity's lips trembled, but she held back the tears. They fitted together perfectly. Oliver would always be the only man for her and somehow she just had to get through this phase of unrequited love. Unless it became too hard to bear and she'd have to leave a job she loved.

She planned to drown her sorrows this weekend in red wine and her favourite shows. A time of vegging out. She'd already started on the wine. 

Felicity changed into her panda pjs and was ready to settle down with snacks in front of the tv to begin her weekend binging. She startled when the concierge's call came. She was not expecting any one nor any deliveries. 

"Hi Tyson"

"You have a visitor Ms Smoak, a Mr Oliver Jensen." Felicity could see Oliver's face and top half of his body. 

"It's fine, you can let him up Tyson." 

Felicity panicked. He was the last person she expected. She debated whether to hastily change and decided to just put a robe over her pjs, not that it mattered, he'd seen her in as much and less. 

Oliver was a little nervous as he travelled up in the elevator to her apartment. It was a spur of the moment decision. The deli was quite close to her new apartment and remembering how much she enjoyed the food last time, he used it as an excuse to see her. He was a little anxious about the reception he'd receive. At least he'd got past the first hurdle, she was letting him come up to the apartment. 

He felt as nervous as a teenager on his first date. But what did he have to feel nervous about. He'd seen her in all sorts of situations, including completely naked in his green room. They had lived like a married couple, yet his heart was hammering in his chest the closer he got to her door. He had no idea what he was going to say to her because he hadn't really thought it through. If he had he would've changed his mind.

"Hi," Felicity said. She was standing in the apartment doorway waiting for him. "Is everything okay?" 

Speech deserted him. Although he'd seen her just over an hour ago on the Grid, he can’t help but notice how beautiful she looks, even in her ridiculous panda pjs. Oliver tore his eyes away from her body and focused on her face. He is relieved to see a smile but an arched eyebrow reminds him that she asked a question. 

"Hi, yes everything is fine."

"I suppose you'd better come in." She stepped back to allow him to cross the threshold into the apartment. He turns to close the door. 

They stand awkwardly staring at each other. "What's in the bag," she asks.

"Oh, this is for you. I stopped by the deli and remembered how you enjoyed the food last time, so I brought you a small selection." 

"That's nice. Thank you. Would you like a beer or some wine? Have a seat." 

"A beer will be good thanks."  
"I don't have that Russian stuff you like to drink."  
"Felicity it's okay. Anything will do as long as it's cold." 

Oliver sat on her overstuffed deep purple couch. her place was colourful, warm and welcoming with mementos from the travels. He really liked her apartment. She'd let him check it out before she moved in and he was satisfied she was safe. Not that the Mendozas were still a problem, he'd made certain of that.

He watched her take a beer out of the fridge and open it. She came and sat beside down beside him, handing over the cold bottle.

"Thank you," Oliver said taking his beer from her. "How's Donna? Have you seen her since Vegas?"  
"Yeah. We spent last weekend together."

"Well next time you see her give her my best." He really liked Donna Smoak's gregarious personality and hoped, if plans went well, he might spend time with her again. 

"She asked about you. Of course she would, after your little flirty-flirt with my mom."

He grinned. "I really like your mom. Did you tell her we'd broken up?"

"Nope. That would've been too much. As it was I had to answer questions about you, us. I'll wait a while and gather strength before telling her you turned out to not be my type after all." 

They stared at each other, Felicity with exasperation. She was beginning to think even friendship with him may not be possible either. 

"Why are you really here Oliver? I'm sure it isn't just to bring me food from the deli." Her blue-green eyes appraised him. 

"No. I wanted to see you."

"Oh? We've seen each other every day for the last several months, including today. I've even stayed in your home." 

Oliver took a deep breath and plunged in before he lost his nerve. "I wanted to ask you out on a date and didn't want to do it in the office or on the phone." 

"Seriously? You surprise me. What's brought this on? I thought you didn't..."

Oliver held up his hand to stop her talking. "Please Felicity, I know what I said, no need to remind me. The last few weeks have been among the most miserable I've spent. I know you were always going to move into your own apartment, but I regret how it ended between us." 

"I've been miserable too. You chose to make us both miserable, your choice, not mine."

"I know," he said softly. "I would like to try again if you'll give me another chance." 

"What's brought on this change of heart?" 

"I don't know, lots of things, a combination of things. My home misses you and scowls at me every time I enter."   
Felicity giggled.  
"It's true. It misses you, I miss you, I miss everything about you. Then Diggle told me he'd not seen me laugh until you came and I should stop playing the martyr or something." 

Felicity laughed. "He's not wrong. You don't give yourself a chance Oliver."

"John said the same thing. I didn't realise how closed off I was and how dreary I'd let my life become. In a small way even Reggie and Suzy reflected that back to me. Does that sound crazy?" 

Felicity laughed. "No. Ignoring Reggie's criminality, those two certainly knew how to let their hair down. 

"You've let your past define your future Oliver. If I did that, I'd probably be curled up in a miserable ball in my old bedroom in Vegas with Donna right now. I refused to let what the Mendozas did to me define me and set the agenda for the rest of my life. I refused to be their victim. Dont let your past define who you are now Oliver." 

"It's a little more complicated. I wish it were possible to leave my past behind. It's here with me every day." 

He was not ready to tell her everything about his past, not now, not ever. He didn't want her to know what Amanda had forced him to do for example, or about his time in Russia for that matter. It was too close to his current association with Bratva. But there was something he had to share so she understood why his behaviour was erratic sometimes.

"The first thing you need to know about me is that my real name is Oliver Queen, not Jensen." He stared into her eyes expecting to see some dawning recognition but he found only puzzlement. 

"So is Jensen your pseudonym to protect you and your family when you're in the field?"  
"Yes and no."  
Felicity frowned. "I don't understand Oliver."  
"Is your tablet nearby, it's easier to show you." 

Felicity reached out and took up her tablet from the coffee table. It was like an extra appendage and never far from her reach. 

"Google _Robert Queen,"_ he said quietly. This was not his intention in coming to see her, but he only now realised if he was serious about a relationship with her, she needs to know something of his past.

He sat in silence whilst Felicity read newspaper reports and listened to snippets of broadcasts telling how Robert Queen, the founder and CEO of Queen Consolidated perished at sea. 

_The Gambit, the yacht of Starling City billionaire Robert Queen, is reported to have sunk somewhere in the North China seas. Mr Queen, his son and heir Oliver, and a young friend believed to be Sara Lance, the sister of Oliver's girlfriend Laurel, and all the crew are believed to have perished._

A knife turned in Oliver's chest as he listened to the broadcaster's voice dredging up painful memories never far from the surface. 

Felicity finished browsing, turned off her tablet and put it away. Her heart was breaking for him. There were so many questions. 

Oliver watched as Felicity removed her glasses and peered myopically at him, the tears were threatening to fall.

"You were so young, what happened to you Oliver? You managed to survive and get back home. How? What happened to the others?" 

He told her everything, up to the point where ARGUS found him on the island and he worked for Waller as a freelancer. 

"So you decided to work for ARGUS permanently on your return to Starling City and not to let your family know you were alive while remaining in plain sight as Oliver Jensen?" 

"Basically yes, but not exactly in plain sight." 

"So who else knows, apart from Waller?" 

"John and Lyla and now you. I suppose the powers that be who need to know." 

"But why Oliver? Don't you think your family would want to know you survived, and are alive, and how happy it would make them?" 

"Not really. Once I went down the ARGUS path, there was no going back. Can you imagine the hoopla if the long lost son and brother were to suddenly turn up now. My cover would be blown. No, it's better left as it is. For them to know what happened to me on that island and how dad died would bring too much pain. It's best to let the dead stay dead." 

"But you long for it to be different, and you still have hope Oliver. That's why you keep a room all fitted out for your sister."

He stared at her. She was bound to have worked it out. "Yes. It makes me feel close to her. I miss her so much." 

"Thea," Felicity said softly. "Her name is mentioned in the articles, the family left behind. Oh Oliver, I'm so sorry." She laid her head against his arm and it slipped around her shoulders pulling her close. 

"It's so sad Oliver, what can I do?"

"You've helped a little already. I've not told anyone, not even John and Lyla whom I see socially, the whole story about what happened on the island. There's nothing for anyone to do. I've lived with this for four years, including the year I spent in Russia with my friend Anatoli, one of the men captured by Ivo for experimentation." 

"So that's why your Russian is so good." 

"After working as an ARGUS freelance I couldn't face going home. It was just too much on top of everything else." He was not going to tell her how Waller coerced him into doing despicable things by threatening his family, nor of the horrors he encountered in Russia and why he put himself through such brutality. What did Anatoli say? _Living is not for the weak._

"This explains so many things about you Oliver. So what happens now?" 

"You and I go out on a date?"

"Oliver what actually happened the last time we were supposed to go on a date?"

"Someone from my past literally bumped into me in the showroom. Tommy, a good friend who surprisingly recognised me immediately." 

"I suppose it's a part of town you'd avoid on a weekend in the middle of the day, but you came with me." 

"It was my choice to come with you, Tommy was the last person I expected to see." 

Felicity stared at him as understanding dawned. That was the reason he'd freaked out and gone cold turkey on her. Getting close to her posed a threat to him. If he wasn't trying to behave like a normal guy, for her, then he could remain in the shadows, in his own self-constructed dungeon. 

"So when is our date?"  
"I thought tomorrow?"  
"Yes, I can do that."  
"Do you like Italian?"  
"Yes, I love Italian."  
"I'll pick you up at 7.30?"  
"Okay."

"Do you want to stay for a while? I was just going to catch up on _Supernatural."_

He grinned. "I'd love to. That's one you haven't introduced me to yet." Oliver removed his jacket and settled into the comfy L-shaped couch. 

"You really need to live a little Oliver. Sam and Dave are hunting the supernatural demon who is supposed to have killed their mother." Felicity refilled her glass. "Would you like another beer? I'll catch you up on the show before we watch the next episode." 

The warmth of his body where they sat close together and general cosiness was too much. Felicity fell asleep before the show finished. The end of an ARGUS week and nearly an entire bottle of wine which she needed whilst listening to Oliver's harrowing story, combined to take her out. 

Oliver turned off the TV and sat watching her sleep for a while. He was undecided whether to wake her or to carry her into her bedroom. In the end he carried her to bed. Felicity snuggled up to him and hummed contentedly as he walked to her bedroom and laid her gently on the bed.

Oliver removed the throw from the purple couch and covered her before turning off the lights and letting himself out of the apartment.

He felt elated and a lot lighter than he had for a long time. He'd shared his story, she'd hadn't rebuffed him and they were going on a date tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a date!


	24. The Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a moment in Oliver and Felicity's first date. It's tumultuous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short chapter. We've moved from German to Italian.
> 
> **Translations:**
> 
>  _il mio bellissimo ragazzo_ \- my beautiful boy
> 
>  _chi e qusta bella signora?_ \- who is this beautiful lady

Oliver awakes on Saturday morning already a bundle of nerves. He can't even remember the last time he took a woman on a date. It would have been well before he boarded the Gambit, over eight years ago.

He reserved a table at _Ti Amo,_ one of the few places he frequented because of it's off the beaten track location, where the proprietors Carlotta and Guiseppe Russo knew him. 

The day passed quickly, crammed with his normal Saturday chores - dry-cleaners, the market. He also gets his baby valeted and replenishes his wine and beer supplies. He remembers to buy Felicity some flowers and after much 'um-ing' and 'ah-ing', finally decides on yellow roses, especially after the florist say they symbolize warmth and affection.

Unusually for him Oliver fusses about what to wear. Clothes are discarded on his bed and over the back of the two-seater. He eventually settles on dark navy chinos with jacket a shade lighter and a pale blue open-necked shirt.

***

When the concierge's buzzer goes off in the apartment Felicity is ready. She has taken extra care with her appearance and has been ready and pacing for the last fifteen minutes.

She decided on a hot pink off-the-shoulder dress that accentuates her toned arms and the curves of her body. It is teamed with black peek-toe high heels with ankle-straps. Her straightened hair falls in a soft shimmering wave over her shoulders and down her back. For a change she wears contacts.

Butterflies are dancing a jig in her stomach. Why the hell is she so nervous? It's not as if this is a first date with a new guy. This is Oliver. She could call him an ex sex partner, even ex-lover.

Felicity is about to tell Tyson she's on her way down but the camera pans out on Oliver and he's holding a bunch of flowers. "Ask Mr Jensen to come up please Tyson."

At her door Oliver feels as nervous as he did the day before, even more so. He wants to leave a good impression tonight. He composes himself and breathes before tapping lightly on her door.

When Felicity appears Oliver’s heart does a somersault. She looks absolutely stunning but he expected that. Oliver loves her signature high ponytail and librarian look, so distinctly Smoak. He's also seen her with her hair loose and flowing but tonight he's bowled over by his date. He can't keep his eyes off her.

“Hi Oliver, come in.”  
“Hi,” he responds, once again stepping over the threshold into her apartment.

"Are those for me?"

The question forces Oliver to loosen his grip on the bouquet of yellow roses and offer them to her. "Yes, these are for you."

"Thank you Oliver, they are lovely." She breathed them in. "Wow, they're original old roses, scented. Beautiful. Thank you. I'll just put them in water then we can go."

"You're welcome. I'm glad you like them." He stands a little awkwardly watching her every move. His girl looks glorious tonight and he loves her hair like that.

Every time he sees her he notices something different. Tonight without glasses her beautiful eyes are soft dreamy pools into which he could easily lose himself. They seem to see right through to his soul and for once he didn't want to pull the shutters down.

He didn't know how it was going to turn out but he was willing to begin the journey if she would have him.

"Thank you for uhm, putting me to bed last night, I didn't mean to fall asleep on you."

Oliver smiled, his eyes softened. "It's fine Felicity, not like it was the first time." The smile broadened into a grin.

"You're not suppose to remind me of that."

"Well I didn't mind any of those times you enticed me to watch one of your shows then you checked out on me."

"Oliver! It only happened once before." She reached out and took his hand. "Come on, let's go."

Oliver squeezed her hand gently. "You're looking gorgeous tonight."

"Thank you," she murmurs.

They were both nervous about the evening. This was new for him. After tonight their relationship was either going to stall and go into reverse or they would move it forward. For him one thing was certain, it couldn't remain the same. That would be unbearable.

Oliver knew he was probably putting too much significance on a first date but he'd already messed up with her and wanted tonight to be perfect, and hopefully set them on a new path.

***

They had been driving for half an hour, and in the intimate space of the sports car, Felicity's senses are reeling and her body tingles with the nearness of him. Oliver always affected her like that from the first time she set eyes on him in Madagascar.

The need to touch him was overwhelming. Under different circumstances she'd have rested a hand on his thigh whilst he drove, but tonight she was experiencing a level of shyness with a man whose body she knew intimately.

"Where are we going?" Felicity asked as his Porsche cruised along the coast road getting farther away from the City.

"We're here," Oliver said turning into the forecourt of the restaurant. " _Ti Amo,_ one of my favourite places to eat. It's a well kept secret, owned by the Russo's, Carlotta and Giuseppe. You'll like them. I discovered the place a long time ago, before the island, quite by accident."

Oliver walked quickly round to open her door. Felicity reached for his out-stretched hand waiting to support her exit from the car. Oliver breathed deeply as a tremor of electricity shot up his arm when their skin connected. His body stirred. The heightened and pent-up emotions simmered just beneath the surface.

Felicity felt the pull of energy between them as his hand rested lightly on, and remained at the small of her back, guiding her to the entrance of the restaurant. It was a small intimate space, tastefully decorated and very Italian.

They had barely stepped inside before Oliver was enveloped in a plump pair of arms and hugged against the ample bosom of Carlotta Russo. "Oliver, _il mio bellissimo ragazzo._ Why you stay away so long? I so happy when I see you dine with us tonight."

Oliver kissed Carlotta on both cheeks. "I've missed you too Carlotta bella." He smiled fondly at her.

Carlotta suddenly noticed Felicity. "Oliver, _chi e qusta bella signora?_ She is your lady no?"

Oliver laughed. "Carlotta this is Felicity, my date. Felicity meet my second mom, Carlotta Russo."

Carlotta beamed at Oliver and wagged a finger at him before turning to Felicity. "Welcome to _Ti Amo Felicity bella."_

Before she could respond Felicity found herself in the same bosom-y hug that Oliver received. "I am glad to meet you bella, my Oliver no more lonely. He look much happy."

Felicity glanced at Oliver who was blushing lightly. _"Grazie_ Carlotta," she said, when finally released by her hostess.

 _"Si._ You speak Italiana?"

"No Carlotta, just please and thank you," Felicity smile apologetically at her hostess.

"Oliver you come, I have your table waiting." Carlotta ushered them to a secluded corner of the restaurant partially shielded by a large Kentia palm.

Carlotta waved a server over. "Carlo, you see to Mr Oliver's drinks.  
"I come back and take your order myself Oliver. I make Giuseppe start early to cook your favourite dish today."

"Carlotta, I love you. Thank you."

Carlotta giggled and gave Oliver a little tap on his shoulder. "Always for you, _il mio bellissimo ragazzo._ Now I bring papa to see you."

Within minutes Carlotta was back with her husband in tow. "Come papa, meet Oliver and his _donna molto bella."_

Dragged away from his kitchen, Giuseppe came hurrying to do his wife's bidding. "Oliver, you're back. You stay away too long."

Oliver stood up to shake his hand. "I know Giuseppe but life has been busy. This is Felicity."

"Welcome signora. I am glad to meet Oliver's lady."

"Thank you Giuseppe, it's very nice to meet you and Carlotta." Felicity said with a slight blush. It was weird being described as Oliver's lady by a complete stranger.

"Mama insist I make your favourite dish Oliver. I have to obey my boss wife," Giuseppe said with a grin.

"Carlotta told me Giuseppe, _grazie molto,"_ Oliver said with a laugh in his voice.

"We go now papa, let Oliver and the signora choose. You take time Oliver, we no very busy tonight."

After more to-ing and fro-ing from Carlotta making sure her favoured guests were happy, they were finally left in peace to enjoy their meal. _Ossobuco_ for Oliver and _Fettuccine Alfredo_ with a salad for Felicity.

Their anxiety melted away after the effusive welcome from the Russos but also because they genuinely enjoyed each other's company. Anyone looking on would see a girl and a guy engrossed in each other to the exclusion of all else.

They reminisced about their first meeting on board the Monrovia Star, and how close they came to death.

"You were so brave. Fearless and badass. You're pretty amazing Felicity Smoak. I'd never imagine that the prostitute with pink streaks in her hair and a stud in her nose, barely able to speak English was a genius hacker with a Mensa level IQ and one of the most effective ARGUS agents that I would end up working with, especially not as her husband on a swinger's weekend in Vegas."

"That was fun wasn't it, only with hindsight though."

They grinned at each other, recalling the hoops they had to go through to pull that one off. On the surface it seemed easy.

"I know you tried to make it seem easy to put me at ease but it wasn't. It was the most-anxiety raising mission I've ever been on."

Oliver nodded. He knew from the beginning she was on edge about the whole thing but she'd pulled it off magnificently. "You were great Felicity. The overall success of the mission was down to you, the way you managed both Reggie and Suzy."

"Yeah. You didn't do too badly either, the way you allowed Suzy to paw you. I bet you secretly enjoyed it."

They laughed. "No wonder Waller was too embarrassed to brief us properly," Felicity said. 

"I've known Amanda for a long time. She is a cold hard ass. I'm surprised she even knows how to be embarrassed."

Felicity watched him. He said he worked for Waller as a freelance, but there's a whole other layer beneath that simple statement. Tonight was not the time to delve into that.

"In the short time I've known you Felicity, your life has been on the line twice. That's not good." It made his blood run cold when he thought about the close shave she had in that elevator.

"Not any more than yours, John and Lyla's, I would wager. Then we all chose this life, although I think it must have been thrust on you."

When she saw the slight glazing over of his eyes as if he wanted to shut out memories he could actually _see,_ Felicity hurriedly changed the subject. "Carlotta obviously adores you. Did she call you her beautiful boy?"

Oliver smiled then. "I've known them a long time, although they won't remember me from before...before I left."

He'd brought Sara Lance here a couple of times during their clandestine meet-ups when he was still with Laurel. Since then there had been a dramatic change in his appearance from that long-haired, cocky hell raiser.

The restaurant was one of his pitstops whenever he took his baby out for a weekend spin. "Since my return I eat here frequently, that's just over three years. The Russo's have sort of adopted me, as I have them. I believe they have one daughter who works in New York." 

"Tell me about you growing up in Star City before the uhm, incident at sea."

Oliver closed his eyes briefly then opened them again and stared at her. "I wish I could tell you I led a stellar life before the island. I was an over-indulged rich kid for whom there were no rules to follow, no authority to respect, not the police, not my parents. I got kicked out of four schools so never graduated college. 

"I lived from party to party, slept most of the day and featured regularly in the tabloids. There were court appearances for misdemeanours and even a jail cell for one night. So you see, some might say I lived a wasted life and deserved the island experience."

"Oliver, please don't say that. What happened to you was not deserved by you or anyone else for that matter. You happened to come up against criminals when you were still young and innocent, as I did. I had a very different experience to you growing up. I was a good girl, went to school, did my homework, got into college worked hard, not that I had to of course because..."

... _I'm a genius/you are a genius_ they said in unison and laughed.

"Did I deserve what happened to me at the hands of the Mendoza's? You're just an expert at beating yourself up for things that are not your fault."

His blue eyes blazed at her. "How did you get to be so astute about life and people?"

Felicity shrugged. "You've met my mom, right? Apart from the pain of my dad leaving when I was so young, I don't really dwell on the past. I can't change what is done, I have to move on with my life. That's Donna's attitude. She's my reality touchstone."

"Hmmm, I might have to borrow her sometime."

"You'll have no problem there. You've already charmed her. What about your mom Oliver, you've talked about Thea but not your mom."

"Moira is nothing like your mom. More the lady of the manor and not particularly warm. I don't remember being tucked in by her or read bedtime stories. She never asked about my interests. Our housekeeper Raisa was more of a mom in that sense. But Moira was there whenever I got into trouble. She was my staunchest defender. My delinquent ways was probably in response to that, that's when I got attention from my mom.

Felicity's heart reached out to the small boy he was then. 

"Unfortunately, my sister started to go that same wayward way. I've been concerned about her teen years, but she may be settling down now."

"So you've been keeping an eye on her?"

"Yes, as best I can in the circumstances. That's the role of an older brother. I'm just sorry we were apart for those teen years."

"In a way we're both orphaned Oliver. Although Donna had to work all hours to keep a roof over our heads, I never doubted that she loved me."

"Oh don't get me wrong, Moira loves her children too with great emphasis on shielding us, protecting us from predators. That was how she showed her love. I would have preferred more hands-on parenting." 

"So much about you has fallen into place Oliver, including the napkins in their silver rings."

Oliver laughed. "Not that again. I suppose some things stick."

The conversation flowed while they enjoyed the delicious food and the relaxed atmosphere and just being in each other’s company. They continued to share experiences from their young lives, each getting to know the other at a deeper level, completely oblivious of all around them. 

Observing them, Carlotta Russo called her husband to come and see. "Look papa our boy is in love with his beautiful lady."

Giuseppe pulled his wife away when he noticed Felicity's eyes on them. "Come away mama, leave the young ones to enjoy each other."

"I wanted to thank you for yesterday," Oliver said.  
"For what."  
"For being a good listener and not asking too many questions."

You did the same for me too. It was the first time I was able to unburden my heart and mind of what they carried around the Mendozas. I feel like you gave me permission to do that."

"Same here Felicity." He reached across the table and squeezed her hand. They stared into each others' eyes, each sharing their heart with the other in silent communication. 

Until a woman's laugh rang out, clear and distinct above the low rumble of voices in the restaurant.

Oliver's body stiffened and his hold on Felicity's hand tightened.

"Oliver, what is it," Felicity asked, her voice full of concern. "Are you okay?"

Oliver closed his eyes and Felicity could feel the clamminess of his hand on hers.

The laugh came again and Oliver stood up this time and looked over the palm, right into the eyes of...

_Sara?_

He mouthed the name whilst looking into a very familiar face. Her eyes were looking straight at him.

When the woman Oliver knew to be Sara Lance got off her chair and started to walk purposefully in his direction. Oliver sat down heavily in his chair. His heart was pounding violently in his chest.

"Ollie? Is it you? You're here in Star City?" The incredulity in Sara Lance's voice was evident as she came up to their table. "But how...when? Oh Ollie."

"Sara I thought you were..."

"Dead. Me too. I thought...but you're alive."

A second later they were clasped in each other's arms. The young woman was sobbing softly.

Felicity looked on in total bewilderment. Sara? The girl on the Gambit with Oliver? She was alive?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So you knew Sara was going to pop up, right? Her name appeared in the list of characters at least several chapters ago. A defining moment?


	25. A New Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sara and Oliver are reacquainted. There are surprises for them both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Sara is alive, a former lover of Oliver's, but how will that affect his and Felicity's fledging relationship?

Oliver pulled away from Sara but held on to her shoulders. "You're alive," he said softly. "How? I watched, helpless to do anything as the ocean took you away, for a second time. I've lived through the last six years thinking you were dead Sara." His hands fell away from her. 

"I floated back to shore with some wreckage and was found by Nyssa." 

"Nyssa?"

"Oh Ollie it's a long story. When did you get back home? How? So much has happened in the last six years. But we're being rude." She looked over at Felicity.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Sara, this is Felicity Smoak. Felicity this is Sara Lance, she was..." 

"Yes Oliver, I remember. Hi Sara," Felicity greeted the young woman. "I'm glad you're not dead but very much alive." 

Sara gave her a sweet smile. "Yes, thank you. I am too." She turned to Oliver, "so are you two together?" 

Oliver glanced at Felicity who was looking at him. "Yes," he said simply, "we are." His eyes remained on her. 

"Oh good, I'm glad." Sara wondered how he'd taken Tommy and Laurel's marriage. He must know. "Uhm, when did you get back to Star City? How?" 

He and Sara probably needed a whole day to catch up on the last six years, and Oliver was acutely aware his date with Felicity had just been derailed. 

He still couldn't believe Sara was here, standing next to him. Alive. "I have a thousand questions too Sara. I can't believe you're here and chose to eat at _Ti Amo_ today of all days. I haven't been here for over a year."

"Me too. I mean this is the first time I've been here since we were...since we left."

"Sara listen, this is very important. I'm no longer Oliver Queen. My name is Jensen, Oliver Jensen and my friends and family don't know I'm alive and back. It has to remain that way. You have to promise you'll keep my secret." 

"Yes, of course but Ollie...why? I don't understand." She stared at him in bewilderment.

"Is everything okay beloved," said a new voice.

Three pairs of eyes alighted on the newcomer. No one noticed her approach. 

Felicity took in the tall attractive woman with high cheek bones. Her long black hair fell in curls over her shoulders. She wore a black dress and knee-length boots, with a shocking pink pashmina over one shoulder. She cut a striking figure. 

"Everything is fine my love. This is Oliver Quee...Jensen and his date Felicity. Guys, this is Nyssa al Ghul, my wife." 

Oliver stared at Sara. "Your wife? You're married?"

Sara laughed. "Yes Ollie, Nyssa and I are married. It's wonderful, I've never been so happy. You should try it."

Oliver remembered his manners and held a hand out to Nyssa. "Hi, I am happy to meet you." 

"Me too Oliver. You are the Oliver that Sara..." She stopped when Sara squeezed her hand. 

"Not now my love, we'll talk about it later. Okay?"

Nyssa nodded and gave Sara a small smile. "Okay," she said softly.

Nyssa Al Ghul was a woman of the world. She'd seen and done things others couldn't even imagine. Something was going on here to make Sara cautious and she could wait until they were alone to hear more. The way her beloved had said this man's name at their table, he was none other than the Oliver Queen she'd heard about, the Oliver Sara believed had died on that godforsaken island where she found her. 

"Nyssa this is Felicity Smoak, my gir...my date."

The two women greeted each other, leaving a silence laden with the unspoken. The moment held an element of unreality and Nyssa's distinctive foreign looks added mystery. Felicity watched the three others, feeling like a participant-observer, if not quite an outsider. 

"Ollie, why don't the four of us meet up tomorrow. Nyssa and I don't like being away from each other for long. Let's meet at that small beach at Bluff Cove, say at midday for a picnic lunch. It's usually deserted. We'll bring the food." 

"Are you and Nyssa living in Star City now?"

"No, we don't live here. Nyssa and I are flying out tomorrow evening. I told you it was a long story, we have a lot to talk about." 

Oliver looked at Felicity, silently asking. She nodded. She would go with him, if that's what he wanted. Why had he given Sara the impression they were together? 

"Yes, okay Sara. Tomorrow," he said.

"Nyssa and I have to go Ollie. I'm so happy to have found you again. Look forward to catching up properly." She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Bye Felicity, nice to meet you. Oh Ollie, let me put my number in your phone. Call me if you need to." 

Oliver handed his phone over, his mind still reeling with all that had happened in the last fifteen minutes. 

The four said their final goodbyes, leaving Oliver still standing staring after the departing Sara and her wife.

***

They were silent on the drive back to her apartment. Felicity knew Oliver was in a state of shock but the trained agent that he was contained it well in the restaurant. This time she placed her hand on his thigh to keep him grounded. His large hand rested on hers and squeezed it, as if in thanks. 

She was in love with this man and wondered where their relationship was going. What were Oliver's intentions? She had to admit that after the initial shock of realising who Sara was, anxiety cut through her. He'd left his girlfriend behind and taken another girl on a long-distance trip. Who does that? What were his feelings towards Sara Lance now? But all that had melted away once Oliver immediately said they were together and Sara introduced Nyssa. 

"Are you sure you want to come tomorrow," he asked when he parked outside her apartment. 

"Yes, If you want me too, I'd like to support you." 

"I want you to come. Felicity you know that Sara and I was a long time ago. When I took her on board the Gambit my father told me it would not end well for any of us. The idea excited me though. I told you the kind of person I was before the island. A selfish thrill-seeker who was serially unfaithful to his girlfriend." 

He took her hand. "Sara is my friend, I'm glad she's alive and I'm happy to see her but I'm not harbouring any lingering feelings for her. I just wanted you to know that." 

God, he was reading her mind. "Thank you for saying that and I'd never judge you on your past. I don't really have a leg to stand on here do I?" 

"I'll pick you up at about 1115 tomorrow. Will that be okay?" 

"I want you to stay with me tonight Oliver, I don't want you going AWOL again." 

Oliver smiled, he knew what she was referring to. "This is different Felicity. Sara is not Tommy, we share an experience. I suspect she has kept a few secrets from her family too." 

"Even so, I want you with me tonight. I don't want you ruminating by yourself all night long." 

He gave a soft chuckle. "Okay Ms Boss Boots, I'd like to stay with you tonight."

"Good, let's put your baby in the underground park, there are a few guest spaces." 

***

Felicity came out of the bathroom and found Oliver stretched out bare feet on the couch in his shirtsleeves. She liked to see him relaxed in her home. "I've left you a fresh towel in the bathroom and you'll find a new toothbrush too."

"Thank you." 

"Do you wanna talk?" 

"About Sara? No, not particularly. I just want to digest the fact that she's alive until we see her again."

Sara's reappearance is forcing him to think about the inevitable, a train of thought that began with meeting Tommy. Perhaps Felicity was right, he had to let go of the past and move on. But how would she feel about that?

"Are you okay?" Felicity checked in with him.

"Funnily enough I am, I'm much less disturbed than when I came face to face with Tommy."  
Oliver's unexpected meeting with Tommy Merlyn had breached an underlying level of anxiety about being back home and the secrecy around that. 

"You haven't talked much about him."

"Tommy was more or less a permanent figure in my life from a very early age. We were best friends and got into trouble together." 

"So, you put that in past tense."

Oliver shrugged. "It's been over eight years, I doubt we'd have much in common today. He's now married to my ex-girlfriend." 

"To Sara's sister? What an incestuous little group you all were."

"Incestuous?"

"Okay that's not exactly the word but you know what I mean"

"Tommy's had a thing for Laurel for years but she and I were together. He didn't know I knew that. I'd catch him looking at her in that way. I guess after I 'died' he made a move, no doubt waiting for an appropriate lapse in time." 

"Oliver. Is that judgement or bitterness I hear?" 

"Nope, none of the above. I'm just guessing how it must have been."  
He'd studied his ex from quite close quarters when he'd surreptitiously assisted her efforts to help others get justice. He could categorically state she held no attraction for him any more. 

"How do you really feel about your best friend and your ex being married?" Felicity needed to probe a little deeper. 

"It's not remotely interesting Felicity, or noteworthy. Like Sara she'd be a friend but I don't have feelings for her either, if that's what you're asking. This Oliver Queen is very different to the 'Ollie' she knew." 

_Plus I knew nothing about love back then, not until I met you._

Oliver was shocked by his acknowledgement that he loved Felicity Smoak but he didn't want to share that yet. It was scary and overwhelming. He just wanted to live with it for now. There were all sorts of things to work out in his own mind.

Felicity turned away from him on the pretext of getting some water. Oliver had never given her any real indication of how he felt about her. His eyes and body were good indicators but she wanted to hear the words. She supposed it was early days yet, today was just a first date.

Oliver watched her, wondering how their date night would end. His need of her had gone beyond boiling point and they hadn't even kissed. He still didn't intend to make the first move, it was up to her, given her previous statement. He was content to just be with her, he was glad she asked him to stay.

"You told Sara we were together. Why did you do that?" She needed to hear more from him. 

"It was an assumption. Forgive me if it offended you."  
"I'm not offended. I just don't know what your intentions are." She laughed. "I sound like a father from the Victorian era."  
"Felicity, isn't it obvious?"  
"No, not to me."  
"Okay. I'd like us to date, get to really know each other."  
"So does this dating begin with immediate effect?"  
"Yes."  
"And what about sleeping arrangements tonight?" 

Oliver stared at his girl. What did she want him to say? He could be the perfect gentleman and house guest or not. What did she want? She was being deliberately provocative, making him jump through hoops as she'd done in Vegas with her wardrobe and her gorgeousness. 

Oliver got up and took the few steps to reach her. He pulled her into his arms. "You're driving me crazy Felicity," he said softly. "Is that your intention?"

"Yes," she said blatantly, "it is. We've had our first date and you haven't even kissed me." 

"Well why don't I remedy that."

Oliver cupped her face and stares into her eyes, now smudged pools of blue staring back up at him, soft, inviting. He melts, all his defences are down, she wants him, he can clearly see that. "Felicity," he breathed and his mouth comes down on hers, warm, lips parted. 

She tastes like nectar and he wants more. His tongue slips in, exploring, probing. She moans in his mouth and the tempo of the kiss changes. It becomes raw, passionate, demanding. He pulls at the tie on her bathrobe and pushes it over one shoulder, then both hand slips it off her body, leaving her in just her panties. 

The kiss ends when they both need air but his lips latch on to her neck and he sucks on the pulse point beneath her ear. His hands roams her body, exploring, rediscovering. "Oliver," she cries out with need when a hand pushes inside her underwear and a finger slicks through her wet folds. "Bedroom. Now."

Without another word he picks her up and cradles her in his arms. His mouth closes over a nipple as he carries her to the bedroom. Her arms loops around his neck. He stops, releases her nipple and stares down at her, before laying her down gently sideways on the bed. 

Oliver leans down and kisses her again. Tonight is for her, slow and tender. She's in control. Her responses to his touch will be his guide. 

He hovers over her, his arms caging her body, pinning her to the bed. There's no rush, he has all the time in the world to give her pleasure. He watches her, taking in her dilated pupils, her parted soft pink lips and the delicious bow shape they make, the rise and fall of her chest. 

Oliver begins by nuzzling at her neck and shoulders. Taking his time, lips move slowly down her body to feel, taste, smell and breathe in the delicate scent of her skin. 

Felicity's muscles tense. Her breathing changes, growing deeper and a little laboured, as he places a kiss between her breasts and his tongue plays with her nipples. 

Her hands reach for him, but only find his head. His tongue probes her belly button before moving down in a zig-zag motion, going from one hip bone to the other, nipping at the slight protrusions. Felicity giggles at the sensation his teeth, tongue and scruff creates on her skin. 

Oliver smiles at her sharp intake of breath when he kisses her mound. His hands peels of her panties.

Felicity is anticipating his final destination with bated breath but he bypasses that place and continues down one thigh and leg to her feet and toes. Then he reverses the movement and travels up the other side, taking his time on the soft inner skin of her thighs. He can smell her arousal. 

Felicity shuts her eyes tight and whimpers as he gets closer to where she needs him. Oliver hitches one of her legs over his shoulder; Felicity gasps and cries out when his tongue swipes up through her folds. The moment his tongue trace circles around her clit, he can feel her surrender, giving herself over to his attentions. She has dreamt of this for weeks, craving his touch from Vegas. 

The pressure builds and builds with his ministrations. The ensuing minutes or hours, she lost track of time, are filled with ecstasy. Her soft moans and whimpers spur him on. When his tongue is replaced by two fingers finding that sensitive spot, Felicity's orgasm rips through her body and pulses out, making her twitch and shake as the energy suffuses every sinew. Oliver extends her pleasure as she comes down by continuing to gently suck her clit.

Oliver moves his body up and claims her lips, letting her taste herself on his tongue. "Hi," he said. She grins goofily. "Why is your clothes still on," she asks.

"I don't have a condom." 

Felicity is inwardly pleased. He didn't come prepared for sex. "I'm fine if you are. I have a clean sheet and am still a virgin since the last time," she giggles.

Oliver grinned. "Me too if you trust me."  
She reaches for his belt. "Stop talking and get inside me."

Within minutes his shirt, pants and boxers are shed and he is inside her. She gasps as he fills her. 

Oliver keeps perfectly still and stares down at her. It has been too long since he was here. Felicity wraps her arms around his upper body and laces her fingers. She smiles up at him and arches an eyebrow. Oliver chuckles softly, he already knows her so well, and tonight is for her, whatever she needs. 

Oliver wraps an arm around her waist and, with one hand bracing himself on the bed, flips them over so Felicity is straddling him.

Felicity grins and settles into her new position. She moves slowly at first then switches to a faster rhythm. Her body gyrates, rocking up and down on his hard cock. Oliver cups her bouncing breasts, coaxing her nipples to harden even more as he rolls and gently squeezes them between his thumb and forefinger. 

Felicity moaned and throws her head back as she loses herself in the fiery desire and passion that flared between them from the very beginning. 

She runs her hands over his chest and lowers her top half against him. His arms surround her, Their lips meet to share a long wet messy kiss.

Felicity cries out when Oliver grips her hips and thrusts up penetrating her even deeper, increasing her pleasure. He meets her downward motion by thrusting up into her, dimly aware of her cries as his cock throbs deep inside her body. His muscled upper body curves upwards and his warm mouth sucks hard on a nipple. That is enough to bring Felicity to climax. Her second orgasm rips through her body, triggering his own, and they flow together. 

Sheer bliss.

They still. He can feel her warm breath on his body and recalls how it always is with her, not that he could ever forget. "Felicity Smoak, you'll be the death of me," he tells her.

She cupped his face, "I hope not, because I'll want to do this with you a lot."

He chuckled. "Good to know. I'm glad you bullied me into staying the night." 

"Me too," she grinned at him and moved to slide off his body.

Oliver's arms tightened around her. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I need the bathroom," she whispered in his ear, "I'll be back, promise." He reluctantly let her go. 

Felicity cleans herself in the bidet and returns with a warm damp bath cloth to cleanse him. He lay back and watched her, neither feeling awkward with the other. 

Felicity drops the cloth on the wood flooring and clambers back into bed, into Oliver's open arms. Neither were done with the other for the night.


	26. He Loves You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Felicity meet with Sara and Nyssa. Mulling over his future, Oliver visits one Bratva member and talks to another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So they are together finally, and Oliver intends to take the next step for him. But how will Felicity feel about that?

Felicity was waiting for Oliver who had gone home to change into fresh clothes before meeting up with Sara and Nyssa. 

They'd made love earlier beneath the gentle flow of shower water. She called his name in ecstasy as the heat and desire pulsed between them. She whispered her love in the throes of passion. He held her close and tight but never spoke of his feelings, but she knew. He was feeling his way through their relationship and she could wait. For a time.

The Oliver who took her to _Te Amo_ and made love to her last night was vastly different to the man she'd initially met, even up to the time before she'd moved out of his home.

He'd cooked them breakfast, both enjoying the banter and laughter they shared. She missed this. It was perfect and complete in her eyes. This is the life she wanted ever since they'd shared that romantic bath when he'd lit candles and they'd made love afterwards. 

"Hi," Felicity said in a soft voice as she answered her phone. "Are you here?"  
"Yes, I'm outside your building," he said.  
"Okay. I'm on my way down."

Oliver was leaning against the Porsche waiting for her. "You look nice," he said opening her door and waiting for her to settle in before shutting it.

"Thank you."  
She was dressed very simply in a pair of black skinny jeans and ankle boots with a white cotton _Husband_ shirt. It was one of her extravagant purchases for the Vegas trip. She looked very chic.

Oliver parked beside a jeep atop the small rounded cliff, more of a steep promontory, that overlooked the beach below where the sea level had retreated leaving a sandy strip. The image of isolation was added to by the screech of a squabble of herring gulls flying overhead. 

Nyssa and Sara had already arrived and were laying out an extra large picnic blanket. Sara had chosen a place to meet where there was zero chance of being overheard. Felicity felt a shiver of anticipation at what she was about to hear.

Oliver carrying his own picnic basket filled with deli goodies, held her hand as they walked down the steep narrow path to the beach. Just that simple act of spontaneous handholding, made Felicity feel like they were a couple. 

The four kissed each other in greeting and settled down on the blanket. Sara stretched out, pulling down her sunglasses to shield her eyes against the midday glare. "This is like going back in time. Do you remember when the gang used to come up here to chill out Ollie?" 

"Yeah, on a Sunday afternoon to recover from the collective hangover before Monday morning, except that we'd end up in somebody's house to start all over again." 

Sara laughed at the memory.

"I find the lifestyle of Western young people so alien." Nyssa said.

"Not all of us Nyssa. The life Oliver and Sara describe is alien to me too. I was either tinkering with electronics or had my head in a book. I didn't do clubbing and partying until I got to university and it didn't really appeal even then."

"What about your family Sara? Do they know Nyssa is your wife," Felicity asked wanting to shift focus away from her before Nyssa asked any questions. 

"It took some time for them to accept it, I think because Nyssa is from another culture and we live in Nanda Parbat, the League's enclave." 

"Anyone ready to eat yet? Nyssa and I got up late and had a late breakfast so we can wait for a while before eating." 

"So did we," Oliver said, looking at Felicity. She refused to look at him, knowing the blush would betray her.  
"I want to hear about you Sara. What happened after Nyssa found you?"

Sara launched into her story, telling Oliver about joining the League of Assassins whose leader, the current _Ra's al Ghul,_ was Nyssa's father.

Oliver nodded, slightly shocked given what he knew of the League.

"I can see the disapproval on your face Oliver but the League began with noble intent to hunt down and kill people who were a danger to society and the world at large." 

"I'm not in a position to disapprove of the League Nyssa, but I can't believe that the Sara who came aboard the Gambit with me would end up being an assassin. That's what you are right, otherwise you couldn't survive in the League." 

"What did we do on Lian Yu Ollie, anything to survive, right? I owe my life and allegiance to the League plus I found the love of my life." Sara took Nyssa's hand and they smile at each other. 

"I am my father's heir Oliver but I mean to change the League. I no longer wish to continue the old ways, for example making new members go through such harsh training, some die before reaching peak physical condition. Under the League's rules Sara and I cannot be legally married so we had a ceremony here in your society." 

"Nyssa's ambition is to eventually disband the League and get rid of all the Pits," Sara added proudly.

Felicity's ears pricked up. "The pits? What's that?"

"The Lazarus Pit is a gift Felicity, the gift of Life. All the _Ra's al Ghuls_ use it to restore their youth. The gift is also conferred on those deemed worthy." 

"The Lazarus Pit? You mean it raises people from the dead?" Felicity was skeptical.

"It's true Felicity," said Sara. "I've seen it for myself."

"It sounds implausible but I saw some things on the island that I still find difficult to come to terms with. I would not recommend your pits though," Oliver said. 

"It has done no harm to my father, who is way beyond his centenarian year. I don't think he even knows how old he is." The secret of her father's longevity also resided in the ring he wore, never removed for any reason except after death when it is passed on to the next _Ra's al Ghul._

Oliver stared at Nyssa. "But he's lost his humanity and has turned the League into a killing machine that confers death for no other reason except that it can. That's why you want to disband the organisation and shut down the pits." 

Nyssa looked at Oliver with new respect. "Yes," she said softly. How do you know this?"

"I keep my ear close to the ground."

When it was clear that Oliver wasn't going to divulge any more, Sara switched the focus. "What about you Ollie? I wanna know what happened to you."

"Would you like to come for a walk Felicity? I'm sure you know Oliver's story and I'll hear it from Sara later. Why don't we leave those two to talk?"

"Sure Nyssa," Felicity said rising reluctantly. She knew Oliver's story but wanted to hear the details of his time in Hong Kong and Russia. She was almost certain that Oliver was not going to divulge that even to Sara.

"I'm intrigued by you Felicity. You did not live the usual Western lifestyle."

"It's not as clear-cut as that Nyssa. As a teenager I had the same freedoms as Oliver and Sara, maybe even more. I just wasn't interested in clubs and partying."

"I see." Nyssa went on to quiz her about life growing up in Vegas which Felicity was happy to share with her, including her interest in technology and going on to study at MIT.

"So where did you and Oliver meet and how long have you two been dating?"

Felicity expected that question. She and Oliver had agreed what they would say. First the usual spiel that ARGUS agents used. They were pen-pushers in the Department of Defense. "We met at work and have been seeing each other for about six months." 

"Oliver is in love with you, I can tell." 

"I'm not sure about that Nyssa, it's much too soon." 

"It is true Felicity. He may not tell you that for some time. Sara was the same. I believe their experience on that island stunted their emotional growth and caused them to not trust easily, but believe me, your Oliver is in love with you. He is very protective of you. If you love him too, just be patient." 

Felicity had no words. She was not about to open up about their relationship to a relative stranger, it was still young and fragile. 

"Shall we rejoin the others, I expect everyone will be hungry after all that talking," Nyssa said with a smile.

Felicity smiled back. "Yes, good idea." She realised that she'd done all the talking and knew nothing about her companion, except what she shared earlier. She wondered what it was like growing up in a closed community where violence was the norm. 

***

Sara looked up to see the two women approaching from a distance. 

"Don't talk to me like I'm other people Ollie. I know you. I don't buy for a minute that you're some anonymous pen-pusher in some faceless government department. Whatever you're into causes you to keep your identity secret. You don't have to tell me but listen Ollie, you can't keep up your disappearing act for the rest of your life. You're too young, and what about Thea? Your family deserves to know that you are alive. I promise it will change your life. Just do it Ollie, don't take too long now that Tommy has seen you." 

"What about you? Do you think you'll ever come back here to live?"

"I'd like too, as soon as Nyssa can put her plan into action. Every time her dad goes into that pit he comes out even more frail and decrepit; his mind is failing. He relies more and more on Nyssa who is very powerful in her own right, with a loyal band of followers. 

"What about you and Felicity? Are you ready to settle down? I like her. Is she the one?" 

Oliver just smiled at her.

Sara smirked at him. 

"Hi you two. Ready to eat" Sara asked as Felicity and Nyssa rejoined them.

***  


"Hey," Felicity said as Oliver stopped outside her apartment block. "Are you okay? You've been really quiet on the drive back."

"Sorry, seeing Sara again raised a few issues." 

"I thought it would. I enjoyed spending time with them, Nyssa is still a mystery. Do you know I talked the whole time we were on that walk. She disclosed nothing about herself.  
Do you want to come up?"

Oliver took both her hands in his and kissed them. "I've had a great weekend and would love to come up but I have some things to take care of. Can I see you tomorrow?"

"Yes, oh, you don't mean at work."  
"No, I mean see you, see you. Here or at my place."  
"Okay."  
"Good. I'll walk you to your apartment."  
"Oliver, you don't have to do that."  
"I want to." He didn't want to leave her but he had to.

At her door he gave her a quick light kiss on the lips. "See you tomorrow."

"I enjoyed our weekend-long date, I had a good time," she said, staring up into his mesmerizing blue eyes. 

Oliver's gaze was soft as he stared down at her. Christ, she was in his blood. "Me too."

Their hands and fingertips remained connected until it was no longer possible as he slowly moved away. She watched him until he entered the lift. He didn't look back.

Oliver got lost in his own thoughts on the drive home. The nascent ideas triggered by the unexpected meeting with Tommy returned with greater force after his conversation with Sara. 

And there was Felicity.

She was the real reason he was seeking a different life. He knew if there was any chance of their relationship turning into something deeper, he'd have to ditch his current life. If Oliver Queen was to be resurrected, it would have to be done quietly, in secrecy. He'd have to move away, leave ARGUS and Star City. 

Would she give up a job she loved and come with him? How would she feel about that?

At home Oliver swapped the Porsche for his motorbike.

Once again he left his bike at Verdant and walked the fifteen minutes to the Bratva owned chop shop.

The door opened and Oliver stared into the usual unsmiling face of Leonov. "Alexi." Oliver gave the Russian a slight bow.

"Come in Captain. I was just thinking of you and here you are. Is there something I can do for you?"

"No comrade. The last time I was here you wished me to do a favour for you." 

Alexi Leonov gave Oliver a solemn nod. "Indeed Captain, I was discussing this matter with our new Pakan that is why you were on my mind." 

"Anatoly? How is the old dog? What is his concern with this matter?" 

"The favour is for him."

Oliver's brow furrowed. "Anatoly wishes me to do him a favour?" He didn't understand. Anatoly was his friend. He'd saved the man's life. Why did he not get directly in touch with him?

"Yes Captain, I am waiting to get the go ahead from him."

"Okay, but can you tell me more." 

"At this moment all I can give you is a name." Alexi Leonov paused. "Emiko Adachi, leader of a criminal organisation known as the Ninth Circle." He watched the American Captain closely. 

Oliver looked blankly at Alexi. "Okay. How will I find this person? Am I required to travel overseas?" 

"No. You will find her right here." 

"Her? Emiko Adachi is a woman?" 

"Is that a problem Captain? I can assure you Emiko Adachi is deadlier than Bratva's arch enemy Chien Na Wei." 

"I don't have a problem comrade. Where can I find this woman?" 

"All in good time Captain, as I said this is Anatoly's favour and he will let me know when." 

"Fine comrade but I came here tonight to let you know it is my intention to leave Star City and I intend to be away, out of the country for sometime." 

"When will that be Captain?"  
"Within the next two to three months."  
"That will not be a problem. You will receive further information before that."  
"Good. Well I bid you good night Alexi. Stay well."  
"And you Captain. Goodnight." 

As soon as Oliver had left the shop, Alexi Leonov put a call through to Moscow on a specially adapted phone. 

"Alexi," said a voice on the other end, "I did not expect to hear from you again so soon. Is there a problem?" 

"The American Captain has just left. I gave him the name just as you asked." 

"And?" 

"Nothing Pakan. He gave no indication of recognition. He told me he will be leaving Star City in the next few months."

"Our business will be done by then and I have a way to motivate our friend. Minister Sokolov will be arriving in your part of the world within the week, I will have an idea of timing then and I shall send instructions. I will want you to deal with this matter personally Alexi." 

"I am always at your service Pakan."

"Thank you Alexi. I'll be in touch when we're ready to move." 

The connection died. 

***

Oliver fumed on this way home. Now that Anatoly had assumed the high and mighty position of Pakan, he was becoming aloof, treating him like some errand boy. What was going on? Anatoly was hiding something. 

As soon as Oliver arrived home he headed straight to his office and got on the phone to his Russian friend. 

"Oliver my boy, I am happy to hear from you. How are you?"

"What's going on Anatoly? I've just been to the shop and talked to Alexi. What's all the secrecy, and who is this Emiko Adachi? Is there something I should know?" 

"Oliver, Oliver. You've not even enquired about my health. Bratva has done you a favour and it needs to be returned." 

"I am aware of that Anatoly but I don't like being treated like some errand boy. Now tell me about this woman, all I have is a name." 

Anatoly was displeased. Oliver had saved his life yes, but he wanted the boy to treat him with the respect his new elevated rank required. He would always think of Oliver Queen as the naïve boy in the cage beside him on the Amazo. He could acknowledge that the boy had turned into a hardened warrior after his stay in Russia and his time in the Gulag but he should show some respect. 

He had the means to bring the boy to heel. He only had to tell him that the Ninth Circle had bankrolled the sinking of the Gambit and was ultimately responsible for his father's death. But that was Minister Sokolov's call and he had to wait on the man.

"My boy, why are you agitated? You do not need to know anything about her. As soon as I have the go-ahead from the Council you can go ahead with the hit. It will be soon. Now tell me how you are?"

"I'm fine Anatoly, and you?"

"All is well my friend, but you do not sound fine. You might even see me on your side of the world one day soon and we can spend the night drinking Russian Vodka and reminiscing about the bad old days, hmmm?"

"Yes okay, I'll look forward to that." That was another lie, the Pakan would never leave Russia. 

"Let's talk soon Oliver, okay my boy? I will call you again soon."

Oliver ended the call, left his office and locked the door.Something was going on and he could only wait until Anatoly was ready to say more. 

It was at times like this he felt no better than a member of the League of Assassins, taking a life on somebody else's orders. But isn't that what he did with ARGUS, except that he had more information about why. It was usually to save hundreds and possibly thousands of other lives. 

It was time he put the last eight years and the life he was now living behind him and move on. The sooner he talked with Amanda Waller the better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big changes afoot? An unloved character about to emerge.


	27. Russian Affair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver is ready to take the next step in forging a new future, he hopes with Felicity, but a complication arises from his past life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Felicity has had her big reveal now it's Oliver's turn. The final arc takes us back to chapter one and throws more light on why Oliver ended up in Metak Prison. An unloved character will make an appearance, bringing this story to a crescendo.

Somewhere in Moscow a group of senior advisors to government were meeting. The chairman of the group, Mikhail Navalny, was old school and hated the direction his beloved Mother Russia was taking. He tried to thwart it while maintaining the façade of _Eminence Gris,_ a trusted advisor to government. 

_"Gentlemen the next item on our agenda is Minister Sokolov's extended trip to North America. The plan is to push the reset button in our relationship, beginning with initial talks in areas of potential co-operation."_

_"Ya, but can we rely on our representative?" asks one member._

_"I have every confidence in Nicholai Sokolov, he has my total trust."_

_"But what about his wife? There were rumours about her a few years ago."_

_"Comrade you do not repeat idle gossip. You speak of the wife of a high ranking government official, mother of his son. That is tantamount to treason."_

_"I spoke out of turn Comrade, my apologies," said the speaker._

_The Chairman nodded. "Your apologies are accepted Comrade, now let us turn our attention to Nicholai Sokolov's upcoming visit."_

***

  


Michael Broderick, Chief of Staff to the Secretary of State, walked into the room where Amanda Waller had been waiting for the last half hour. "Amanda. Good to see you. No don't get up. So sorry to keep you waiting. There was a last minute thing." He laughed. "There always is. Has somebody offered you coffee?"

"Yes, Thank you Mr Broderick."

"No formality necessary Amanda, Michael will do. You're probably wondering why you're here." 

She had no desire to call the man Michael but she needed to play the game. "Yes I am. As hard as I tried to find out, no one seems to know why the CoS to the SoS wished to see me." 

Broderick laughed again. "Obviously your interrogation techniques have lapse somewhat Amanda. Congratulations by the way, I hear you single-handedly saved the nation from abject misery and humiliation, not to mention penury."

"Left to my single hand the nation would have suffered all those things. I simply sit behind my desk and let my very able team get on with it. Mark of a good leader I hear." Waller gave him a tight little smile.

Waller disliked Broderick intensely. She considered him a supercilious little schmuck. One of those men who used his words to downgrade women. He thought he was being clever. Left alone on a desert Island with him, she'd kick his ass. She wondered how he got on with his female boss. 

Broderick saw Waller as a potential threat to his position going into the next election and took every opportunity to take a swipe. But she had the ear of his boss, so he needed to watch his step with her. "Yes well I suppose lean and mean will always win out over fat and flabby." 

"Excuse me?"

"You have a reputation Amanda. You're damn good at your job, but would it kill you to play nicely with the other children?" 

Waller shrugged. "You mean the fat flabby ones? Yes it might." 

"Yes well I hear you don't stand fools gladly but that needs to change Amanda. Our world is changing." 

"I understand that only too well Michael. If the hardliners and strong men take power, a number of hotspots will erupt and we face a nightmare scenario." 

"Yes, precisely. We could easily become embroiled and have to avoid that at all cost." 

"Do we have an overall long-term strategy?" 

"Yes, we reposition ourselves. We start to make new friends and influence people. We need to consider sharing our expertise and building relationships."

"Michael, I do counter-terrorism not diplomacy." 

"Well isn't that the understatement of the decade. This is exactly what I mean. We all need to become diplomats in this new era.  
"You know Amanda, I shouldn't be telling you this but if you play your cards right and we get a second term, expect to be kicked upstairs, high up. Especially after the Strang Bank incident. You saved the day. You are efficient and effective. You need to become more diplomatic."

"Michael, please. Just tell me why I'm here." 

"In a nutshell your boy, Oliver Queen, or whatever name he goes by now. We are expecting an extended visit from a Russian trade mission led by Nicholai Sokolov and his wife. She is the same woman you sent Queen to recruit and he landed up in a Russian hellhole." 

Waller was surprised Broderick knew so much about ARGUS operations. She supposed it was his job to have a finger on the pulse given his position.

"What you may not know," Broderick continued, "is after you took him off that island instead of coming home Queen went to Russia where he met Isabel Rochev and they had an affair. At the time Rochev was Sokolov's girlfriend, she is now his wife." 

Damn Oliver. She knew he'd gone to Russia instead of going home after she'd sent him back to Lian Yu to infiltrate Reiter's criminal organisation, but knew nothing of his affair. "Why are you telling me this now Michael?"

"Sokolov has specifically asked for your team to provide in-country security during his stay here Amanda. Why do you think that is?" 

"It's unusual." 

"You think? We mothballed Rochev but intel started up again last month. Is she an asset of ours or not? Do you at least know the answer to that?" 

"I have no idea since ARGUS is not Rochev's handlers as you know." The man was really beginning to irritate her.  
"We were doing our fat flabby friends a favour because Oliver already had contacts on the ground in Russia. You see, I do play with the other children sometimes." 

_Yeah right._ "So you're telling me Queen is not in contact with Rochev? Because it sure isn't anyone at Langley." 

"Not as far as I know and if he is, it's not on behalf of the Agency." 

"Well you better find out Amanda and damn quick because Sokolov and his wife will be here in a few days for extended talks on future co-operation." 

She was going to kill Oliver Queen. Why the hell hadn't he told her about Rochev. She'd never have sent him to recruit her if she'd known of their previous relationship. That compromised him immediately. 

***

Oliver hated it when Waller summoned him like some errant schoolboy to the headmistress' office and sat silently observing him. What now? "Are you going to say anything?" 

"Why do I have to find out from the Chief of Staff to the SOS that you had an affair with Isabel Rochev?" 

Oliver sat calmly watching Waller, hiding his irritation. "It was brief." 

"But you were with her at the time she was the girlfriend of Nicholai Sokolov, now a government Minister, and to whom she is married. Dammit Oliver. What were you thinking? Had I known, we'd never have sent you to recruit her. As it is Lyla blames herself for your capture, believing her due diligence was lacking. I should fire you on the spot."

"About firing on the spot, I actually need to talk to you about that."

"You want to talk about being fired?" 

"About my exit strategy from the Agency. We discussed a plan for when I wanted to leave and possible options about how it would happen."

"Are you serious? You want to leave the Agency?" 

"Not only that, I want to reclaim my name and my family." 

"Okay," Waller said hesitantly. She hadn't expected him to leave so soon and was hiding her consternation but he could see it on her face. "What's going on Oliver?" 

"It's come on gradually over the last few months. I need to move away from this life." Even just voicing it to Amanda made him feel lighter.

"Fine, can we discuss it after this assignment? I need you to work with Lyla on it."  
"Is this to do with Sokolov?"  
"Yes."  
"So my presence won't compromise the mission." There was just a little sarcasm in his tone. 

"Sokolov specifically asked for this team to be part of his security detail. That's an usual request and I can only assume it has to do with you. It would be odd if you were not there. What happened in Russia when you went to recruit Rochev?" 

"Are we going over that again? You listened to the tape of my debrief and you read my report. There's nothing more to tell."

"Yet you omitted to tell any of us that you'd had an affair with the very person you were sent to recruit. It almost got you killed Oliver."

"Not for the first, second, third or nth time Amanda. Avoiding death has become my favourite pastime."

"Don't be flippant Oliver. Why didn't you come home once we'd dealt with Reiter?"

"I wasn't ready." He'd also made a promise to Taiana. "Isabel was just a distraction, it just happened."

He could put the train crash his life had become down to her, once she had him kidnapped off the island. There was no way he could go home after what she'd made him do in Hong Kong. He'd have preferred to jump out the aircraft rather than go back to Lian Yu, but that's where she sent him after Hong Kong.

"I didn't think our previous relationship posed a problem, it fact it helped because she already knew me. And it succeeded, except I was betrayed and got caught." The whole incident was a puzzle to him. Who betrayed him?

"Are you still in contact with Rochev?"

"No. The last time I saw Isabel was the day I was ambushed, drugged and woke up in that frozen wasteland. We've not communicated since that day. Why?"

"She has been mothballed but intel began to come through again last month. Someone has been in communication with her and it's not Malone."

"Well it's not me. I wouldn't know her protocols or her codename."

"Maybe we'll find out during this visit. I'm going to brief the four of you who will work closely on this. I'll leave it to you to inform your colleagues of your past relationship with Isabel Rochev Sokolov. You're vulnerable on this assignment Oliver so they need to know everything."

"How do you mean I'm vulnerable. They could have done anything to me in Metak." 

"That's true, but I don't trust this proposed _entente cordiale,_ we're all friends together now."  
Waller left her desk, walked to the door of her office and opened it. "Lyla, Mr Diggle, Ms Smoak will you step in here please."

Waller looked around at the three new pairs of curious eyes now resting on her. "What I'm about to tell you exceeds all your security clearances, indeed anything that is said in this room is top security and goes no further. It involves a Russian trade delegation soon to arrive here led by a senior Minister and his wife." 

An image appeared on the screen on the wall. 

"This is Nicholai Sokolov and his wife Isabel, nee Rochev, a former Russian asset codenamed Camomile. She was recruited by Oliver and handled by Billy Malone in our sister agency. The Sokolovs arrive here in a few days and have specifically asked for this team to provide security." 

"What? Why? We don't do that except under special circumstances." Diggle voiced what he and Lyla were thinking.

"We can only speculate on the why, but it is a special circumstance. At least TPTB think so. Isabel's brother, Viktor Rochev is head of their personal security detail. We will be working with him. The first engagement is a reception at their embassy, we all need to be there. Lyla you and Oliver will lead this assignment. You will have any additional support you need. TPTB are anxious this goes smoothly. No hitches." 

Waller looked at Oliver, who in turn looked around the table at his colleagues. "You should know I had a brief affair, if it can even be called that, with Isabel Rochev, Sokolov's then girlfriend over four years ago." His tone was curt. It invited no questions but he knew there'd be some, from Lyla specifically. 

There was a collective gasp from John and Lyla. 

"You already knew Isabel when I briefed you about recruiting her and you said nothing. Why Oliver, didn't you trust me? I've been blaming myself for getting you sent to that godforsaken place, thinking I'd slipped up on something." 

The simple answer to Lyla's question was no. He didn't trust anyone totally. Not least Waller and Lyla seemed close to her, well closer than anyone else in the team.

The incredulity registered on Lyla's face and in her voice. She was not happy with Oliver and wondered what else he'd kept from the team. Johnnie always had a question mark about why, apart from his moroseness, Oliver seemed to have emerged from Metak prison relatively unscathed. 

"Now is not the time for a postmortem, Waller said. "We need to stay focused." 

"I'm assuming Sokolov knows Oliver had an affair with Isabel and this is some kind of test of her." She turned to Oliver, "he'll probably be watching you both." Everyone looked at Felicity. "What? I'm just saying. In his place that's what I'd do." 

"That's quite possible Ms Smoak. It would also be very unfortunate if the wife of a government Minister was exposed as a spy. The fallout would be catastrophic." 

"I suppose it'd be brushed under the carpet and Isabel would quietly disappear, never to be heard of again," Felicity mused out loud, not really talking to her colleagues but all eyes were on her. 

"What about Malone? Will be working with us on this, since he's her handler," John asked with a grimace.

"Rochev has been mothballed and is no longer active, or so we thought. Until this last month. But yes, Malone will be at the first reception at least. We have to play nice Mr Diggle." 

"Wait. Are you saying Rochev has been reactivated but not by us?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying Mr Diggle, and we have to find out by whom."

"There's one other thing you should know," Oliver said looking around at the expectant faces. "Sokolov is an Oligarch with business interests here. He is ex-KGB and had links with the Russian Mafia." 

Oliver closed his eyes briefly. It couldn't be coincidence. It was Anatoly who introduced him to Nicholai and Isabel. He didn't believe in coincidences. 

"Oliver? Is there any thing else," Waller asked.

"No. That's it."

"We should dig deeper into Viktor Rochev, he's the new player in all this." Lyla turned to Oliver. "Did you know him?" 

"Not really, Isabel spoke about him. They lost their parents at a young age and brother and sister were close." 

"Well that's it for the time being. Let's get back to work, the reception is in two days," Waller said dismissing the team.

***

"Can you stay at mine tonight?" Oliver asked as they traveled down in the elevator together. 

"Sure, I brought a change of clothes just in case."

He smiled at her. "Thank you."  
"For what?"  
"Your silent support in the meeting with Waller." 

Felicity smiled and nodded. They were already so in tune. She would wait until they got to his home to hear more about yet another aspect of Oliver's previous life.

Oliver followed Felicity on his bike to his home. He was certain the strange conversation with Leonov and Anatoly had something to do with Sokolov's visit. But what was the connection to Emiko Adachi? Did she pose a danger to Sokolov? Anatoly was right, it was not customary to ask questions about a hit but this was different. He had a bad feeling about it. 

He opened the garage to let her drive in and he followed. He'd prefer if she stayed with him until this assignment was over. 

They needed to talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well there we are. Has Oliver been a naughty 👦 👨?


	28. Come with me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Felicity talk. Oliver receives an invitation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We know it's never a good thing when Isabel pops up.

As soon as they got upstairs Oliver immediately reached for Felicity. He pulled her into his arms, resting his head on hers. "I missed you."

She slipped her arms around his waist and looked up into his face. "We've been together all day."

"I know. But that's not being with you. Come and sit with me, I have something to tell you." He tugged her towards the couch and sat her down. "I need a drink. Would you like something?" 

"That bad?"

"I don't know. Depends on how you see it." 

"I'll have a glass of red wine." Felicity watched him. Something had him on edge. Was it the Sokolov's? 

Oliver returned with her wine and a whiskey for himself. "Felicity I want to move on from ARGUS." 

She stared at him. That was not what she expected.

"Oh? Did something happen between you and Amanda. It seemed pretty tense when John, Lyla and I walked into her office today." 

"That was when I told her I wanted to leave the Agency." 

"But why Oliver, does this have something to do with seeing Sara?" 

"I'll have to leave one day. I don't want to spend the best years of my life occupying the dark places that is ARGUS's world. I've had over eight years of torture and killing and almost being killed. This life chose me not the other way around. And yes, Sara brought the idea to the fore, but it was there before that." 

"Since seeing your friend Tommy?"

"Before Tommy but I couldn't see a way through until now. Until you." 

She stared at him. Was he saying what she thought he was?

"You showed me it was possible to have a different life and I'd like to explore that, with you, if you'll come with me." 

Felicity didn't know how to respond. There was a vagueness to his words. She didn't want to misinterpret anything. 

"Come with you where? What will you do instead?"  
"I haven't thought it through yet. I have a vague idea. How do you feel about it?"  
"Me? How do _I_ feel about you leaving ARGUS?"  
"Yeah."  
"It's all very sudden. I don't know what to say."  
"Would you consider coming with me?" 

Felicity cleared her throat. Go with him? As his girlfriend? "I thought you were going to tell me about your life with a beautiful Soviet spy. That's a good title for a book. Could be a best seller." 

"Felicity," he said softly, his body turned towards her. His liquid blue eyes pinned her to the seat beside him.

"You're confusing me Oliver, our relationship has only just begun."  
_You've never once said that you love me._

He lifted her chin. "You know our relationship begun at the Toamasina Docks or at least from that night you knocked on my door." 

"I don't know what you mean by coming with you. Where? What would we do?" She didn't have to work if she didn't want to but she needed to know how he saw their relationship going forward. 

"Felicity, I want to be with you." 

_Yes but do you love me?_  
"That much is obvious Oliver, and I'd go anywhere with you." 

"The but is, you don't trust me." 

"I do trust you." Felicity got off the couch. "Nyssa told me that you loved me but you don't trust easily. Do _you_ trust _me_ Oliver?" 

There, that was a prompt. Huge.

"I don't understand what Nyssa has to do with any of this but of course I trust you Felicity. You've completely changed my life in a way I didn't expect. I care about you and want you in my life." 

That's as good as she was going to get, at least tonight. "When would you leave ARGUS?" 

"It's fluid but I want to push the button on it. There are all sorts of formalities to go through, including Oliver Queen being re-instated into the land of the living. After that I'd like to reunite with my family, so there's a process to go through. I'm not pressing you for a decision. I wanted to let you know what was in my mind." 

"Thank you. I need to let the idea sink in for a while, especially if coming with you means moving away from here and my leaving ARGUS too. Now I want you to talk to me about the Sokolovs and your time in Russia." 

Oliver got up from the couch. "You hungry? Why don't we have something to eat first?"

"Okay." 

***

"So you left the island for a second time but instead of coming home you went to Russia to keep a promise," Felicity prompted, "and that's when you met Isabel," 

"And Nicholai." 

"So you knew they were together?" 

"Yes, but Isabel made it seem like they were just casual. She and I had a very brief thing. She was much more interested in coming to America. She told me a story about the former KGB being implicated in her parents' death. She saw me as a way to get her and her younger brother out of the country." 

"Then what happened?"

"Nothing. Obviously I wasn't in a place to help her and I didn't want her to fall into Waller's clutches. I eventually left the country courtesy of ARGUS and you know the rest. 

"Then came the mission to recruit Isabel as an asset. She had reached out to our embassy after I left, and was very eager. The night before I was suppose to leave Russia, I took her to a safe house to get a sort of induction and to meet her handler. That was the end of my involvement with it all. But on the way back to my hotel I was abducted. The last thing I remember was the pinprick in my neck. I woke up in Metak prison."

"Who knew you were taking her to a safe house." 

"Only Isabel."

"And whoever you were meeting in the safe house."

Oliver shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose."

"And you've heard nothing from her since that night."

Oliver made no response. He'd left her and gone away somewhere.

"Hey," she touched his face.

He refocused on her. "Felicity I think you should move back in with me until this assignment is over." 

"Why? Do you know something?"

"I have a bad feeling about it that's all." Someone had betrayed him that night in Russia. Was he a target too, and anyone close to him? If he was right and Adachi was a danger to Sokolov, why had he not received the go ahead from Anatoly?

"Talk to me Oliver, I know something has spooked you. What's going on?" 

"I think Nicholai and Isabel's life might be in danger. The event tomorrow may be an opportunity if anyone wished to harm them." 

"What? What makes you think that? And they've moved the event from their embassy so the Sokolov's will be less secure. Does Amanda know about this?" 

"No. I'm only thinking it through now and going with a gut feeling. I'll raise it tomorrow." 

"But how does that affect me? I'd rather stay in my own apartment." 

Oliver sighed. He got up from the couch and stood by the window, hands in pocket looking out. He knew she'd say that. He couldn't tell her any more without revealing his links to, and the involvement of the Bratva. It might actually be a better idea if they stayed apart until the assignment was over. 

He turned back to the room. "You're right. It would be safer if you stayed away from me until this one is wrapped up." 

"Why? Do you think you're in danger too?" 

"It's just a precaution." He didn't want to scare her. 

Felicity nodded. She knew him well enough by now to know that nothing more would be forthcoming. Oliver still had secrets. "Let's go to bed. We have a big day tomorrow," she said. 

He lay in bed watching her. His entire being ached for her. Nothing new about that, only more so recently since he'd stop holding back.

Felicity switched off her bedside light plunging the room into darkness before she slipped into bed and into his open arms. Oliver held her close and breathed in her scent. Their lips met in an eager and greedy kiss.

His hand roamed her body. Without preamble he ripped off her panties, the only item of clothing she'd worn to bed. Felicity grinned in the darkness, she expected that.

Felicity moaned in his mouth as Oliver's hand began to gently massage a breast. When his mouth found the other nipple, her fingers played with the short hairs at the back of his neck and a hand pushed past the waistline of his boxers to grasp his length. 

Oliver groaned and relaxed into her touch. His hand moved from her breast and two fingers found her entrance and pushed in. He had urgent need of her. He didn't want to wait to be inside her.

****

  


"Oliver you have a message," Lyla said as he walked on to the Grid. "It was delivered to State in an outer enveloped addressed to Broderick." She handed him the missive. 

Oliver opened the envelope and removed a single sheet of paper. 

_Meet me tonight. The Irish Pub. 7p.m. Isabel_

He passed the single sheet of paper to Lyla.

She read the note and looked up at him. "Are you going to meet her?" 

"I'll meet whoever turns up. It won't be Isabel, this isn't from her."  
"How do you know that?"

"Because she'd never ask to meet in a pub. A meeting is too risky. Sokolov adores Isabel but if he even suspects she was a spy, he'd kill her." 

"Oliver it could be a trap. After last time, I'm not happy with this. "

He shrugged. "If they wanted to kill me, they would've done so in Metak."

"We'll you're not going by yourself."  
"I have too. This is part of the mission Lyla."  
"It's not happening Oliver. Johnnie will cover you. He'll get there first."  
"Fine."

"We should run this past Amanda." Oliver nodded and followed her into Waller's office.

Waller read the note and handed it back to Oliver. "Find out what you can about the communication she's been receiving," she said returning to whatever she was doing.

Oliver smirked at Lyla, who rolled her eyes. She didn't think she could do Waller's job.

***

Oliver spotted Diggle immediately, sitting at the bar. He walked past him, ordered a Russian beer and found a table where he sat with his back to the wall, facing the door. 

He waited a good fifteen minutes before he was approached.

Oliver's face betrayed no emotion as a dark haired young man in an overcoat, probably in his early twenties, pulled out a chair and sat facing him. He must have been in the pub already because Oliver hadn't seen him enter through the door.

"You don't seem surprised to see me Oliver."  
"Well I wasn't expecting Isabel."  
"You don't remember me do you?"  
"The family resemblance is strong so I'd guess you are Viktor. What can I do for you?" 

"Tell me one thing before I kill you. Oliver felt the gun jab into his kneecap. "Do you ever think of the lives you ruined Oliver?" 

Oliver lifted the bottle of beer to his lips and put it back down again without drinking. That was the signal to Digg that a threat had been made. 

"I have no idea what you're talking about Viktor but you should know before you pull the trigger, a bullet will lodge itself into the back of your brain. Whatever, you won't leave here alive." 

"My sister is a spy for the West, turned by you. She betrayed her country and her family."  
"Someone has spun you a yarn Viktor."  
"Don't lie to me Oliver."

"Viktor if you believe you've discovered a spy it's your duty to report it to your superiors." Cold blue eyes skewered the young man.

Viktor Rochev reached into the inside pocket of his overcoat. "I found this six weeks ago. It was hidden. Very careless of my sister. It's a request from you asking for information."  
He handed Oliver a copy of a handwritten note and waited while he read. 

"Do you deny you wrote it." 

"I do. That's my name but the other details are not mine. I suspect they're fake. Your sister wouldn't know that because I've not been in contact with her since the day I was taken to your notorious Metak prison." 

"Why should I believe you? People like us lie. That's what we do." 

"Why did you ask to meet Viktor? I don't believe you came here to kill me. You're smart enough to know that if your sister is a spy, then others know too." He saw the imperceptible shift in Viktor's eyes. They glazed over. The young man was obviously traumatised by the discovery of his sister's betrayal. That much was clear. The gun was removed from his kneecap.

"You destroy all her files and sever all contact." He stared defiantly at Oliver. "I've told no one else what I know. You let her go or you'll be seeing me again." 

Viktor Rochev got up from the table and left the pub.

Oliver sat thinking about what just passed between him and Viktor. Who made contact with Isabel pretending to be him? Did she respond? He had to talk to her. 

Someone was out to destroy Sokolov. Outing his wife as a spy was plan B. Plan A was Sokolov himself. It was likely that Adachi was the assassin he was supposed to kill. Sokolov and Isabel were in danger. The most likely place to make an attempt on their lives was at the black tie event tomorrow night.

Oliver gulped down the rest of his beer and left the pub. He gave John an imperceptible nod as he passed. They would both return to the Grid where Lyla would be waiting. 

He felt sure that Viktor would try and put a tail on him from now on. He was glad he and Felicity agreed not to see each other until the mission was over. It was going to kill him not to be with her. Felicity gave him a real sense of peace and normalcy, something he'd not known for a very long time, if ever. But her safety was his first priority. 

***

Felicity got into bed to wait for Oliver's call. The last few days had passed in a daze since he acknowledged they were together. He'd startled her with his declarations last night but she was still waiting for those three precious little words. 

Part of her would go anywhere with him and at the same time there was some hesitation about blowing up her life without any commitment from him. Maybe Nyssa was right. She had to give him time. But Oliver was not a child. Surely he knew what he wanted, what was important in his life.

Felicity ponced on her phone when it rang. "Hi. Are you okay?  
"Yeah, I am. Are you?"  
Who did you meet? I should have waited for you and John."

He told her about Viktor and everything that happened. "He gave me a copy of one of the messages Isabel recently received purporting to come from me, asking for information. It was fake." 

"So we still don't know who's been communicating with Isabel." 

"No. It's best if we remain as just work colleagues to the outside world until this mission is over. I hate being away from you though, I don't sleep well."

"Me too but you're probably right." 

"I wish I was there with you.

"Me too."

"I'm visualising you naked, and I'm inhaling the scent of your skin. Mmmm beautiful. Your soft body is pressing against mine."

"Oliver stop, otherwise I'm coming right over in my pj's." 

He chuckled. "Is that all it took?"  
"Yeah. I'm needy, and easy." 

"Goodnight Felicity, I'll see you tomorrow," he said, laughter still echoed in his voice. 

"Goodnight Oliver." 

Felicity exhaled. There was a huge smile on her face. She was happy right now but not looking forward to the next few days. She wanted this assignment over then she and Oliver could have a proper talk about their future. 


	29. Code Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Team attend the black-tie reception.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Curtis's information to the team on comms is given in **bold**
> 
> Hey guys. Hope you're all doing more than just surviving. Clandestine is online so quick turn around on this update, then another before I return to 'Brief Interlude'.
> 
> Have a great weekend.

"Everyone." Lyla gathered the team for a final briefing before the reception.

"We are on high alert tonight. If Oliver's hunch is right this reception is an ideal opportunity for an assassin so we're not taking any chances. The change in venue makes life more difficult but the Russians have drafted in additional security. We're all on comms and Curtis has various locations on GPS.

"We've set up a relatively safe location off the main reception for Oliver to have a private word with Rochev. Felicity will act as go-between. Are you both still happy with that, it's risky. Oliver you'll have less than five minutes. We don't want Isabel's minders to notice she's missing for too long."

"My only problem is getting Isabel on her own," Felicity volunteered.

"You'll be fine Smoak, piece of cake," Diggle encouraged. Felicity smiled at him. She loved Digg, he was her main cheerleader.

Oliver gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll introduce you. We have to find out who's communicating with her."

"John will stay alongside Russian security, keeping tabs on the floor below the reception, where the cloakroom and restrooms are. Below that is the basement used for storage. It has been swept and will be patrolled but it's a vulnerable space so stay alert and stay safe everyone."

The team piled off the Grid to go home and change for the black-tie event.

***

Felicity looked around the reception room with a bright smile on her face. The main body of guests had not yet arrived. "The ARGUS team look very glamerous tonight," she observed.

She'd already literally salivated at how delicious Oliver looked in a tux. It's a pity she won't be able to enjoy stripping him later.

"None more than you," Oliver whispered. She looked a million dollars, unassuming and elegant in a sleeveless midnight blue cocktail dress, teamed with silver jewelry; her blonde tresses piled into a messy bun. "I want to kiss you," he whispered again very softly close to her ear.

Felicity's eyes twinkled. Was his comms off? Her gaze locked on the elegant Isabel Rochev Sokolov in a full length red dress which showed off her trim figure to perfection. Her titian hair swept up in a style that looked both intricate and simple at the same time.

Her husband's body was angled towards the fireplace but Isabel was looking directly at Oliver and Felicity. She whispered something in his ear and Sokolov turned. His eyes came to rest on them too. He looked older than his wife by about fifteen years, Felicity estimated.

"We are being observed," Felicity said smiling up at Oliver. Her eyes returned to the Sokolovs. "I hope you're on comms."

Oliver followed Felicity's gaze to where the Sokolov's were standing. "Come, let me introduce you."

"Oliver, by all that's wonderful. I never thought I see you again." Sokolov greeted him with welcoming geniality.

"You thought or you hoped Nicholai," Oliver grinned, shaking the hand of his host. "Isabel." He kissed her on both cheeks.

"So, the old gang are together again," Sokolov commented. "Isabel my dear, I've been unfaithful to you. I've thought of nothing but this man for the last several years."

There was an imperceptible pause as the distinct chill in the seemingly jovial words swirled around them for a nanosecond.

Oliver caught the faint flicker in Isabel's eyes at the coded language. "Yes, indeed we are, minus Anatoly sadly. May I introduce my colleague, Megan Kuttler."

Warm words of greetings for Felicity papered over the earlier chill. She was surprised when Isabel immediately took her arm.

"Come Megan, why don't we go and find ourselves a drink and leave those two to their nostalgia."

Felicity had not expected it to be so easy to get Isabel by herself to relay Oliver's message. She was amused to be acting as the go-between, arranging a clandestine meeting for her boyfriend and his former lover. Anything goes in the world of espionage.

Oliver watched them go and caught the eye of Viktor who stood glaring at him until his eyes turned to follow his sister.

"So Nicholai, congratulations on your promotion. I hope our joint talks are successful."

"We should meet Oliver for a proper catch up, when I'm not required to sound and look interested in what total strangers are saying."

Oliver laughed. "It's called diplomacy Nicholai. Yes, I'd like to meet. I'm sure your people know how to find me. You undoubtedly already know that I now go by the name of Jensen."

Sokolov gave him an acknowledging nod. His smile didn't reach is eyes. "So, you've joined the world of spies Oliver."

"As have we all Nicholai." Oliver raised his glass to Isabel's husband, aware of the barely masked antagonism from the other man.

Felicity drew Isabel to a far corner of the room. They each took a glass from the passing server. "Are you Oliver's date Megan?" 

"I'm Oliver's work colleague Isabel. He needs to talk about the requests for intel you've been receiving," she said quietly, smiling at the woman.

Isabel's hard cold eyes looked her over." Okay, but how? When?"

"You see the door by the wall clock. You need to go through it just after eight o'clock." The two women stared at each other, smiles on their faces. Felicity's came from playing a role, Isabel too. One was less fake.

Isabel nodded. "To your health Megan." They clinked their glass before Isabel turned away to greet other guests beginning to arrive.

Felicity watched Isabel leave. She didn't trust the woman on instinct. She caught Oliver's eye and gave him a slight nod, a mere incline of her head.

"Nicholai," Oliver turned to his host, "you know we suspect an attempt may be made on your life. Tonight will be as good an opportunity as any."

"Yes, Viktor has told us of your fears and wanted to move this reception back to our embassy but it was just too small to accommodate everyone. You know me Oliver, I am not easily intimated. I can also assure you I have an insurance policy in place."

_If I'm your insurance policy, it's too late to call it in for tonight._

Oliver glanced at the clock on the wall. It was just eight o'clock. "Will you excuse me Nicholai."

"Yes of course Oliver, I should be mingling with my guests too. Here comes the Chief of Staff to your Secretary of State." Nicholai's eyes searched for his wife.

Felicity watched the movement in the room. She saw when Oliver slipped out, and noticed both Viktor and Nicholai's gaze seeking Isabel who was chatting animatedly to Michael Broderick and Amanda Waller. She was joined by her husband.

Her gaze fixed on Isabel, Felicity watched her detach from the group and move to position. A tall thickset male, probably Russian security, was also standing by the door, effectively putting a stop to her escape.

Felicity took it all in. Her eyes sought the nearest server with the canapes. She made a beeline for the girl. A contrived accident overturned her tray dumping everything on the floor.

The disturbance gave Isabel the opportunity to slip out, and Felicity positioned herself in front of the door.

Oliver was waiting in the small ante room when Isabel came in. He stepped out from the shadows. "We only have a few minutes, we have to meet."

"Am I in danger?"

"Yes, and Nicholai."

"We can meet tomorrow afternoon. I'll be attending a rehearsal for the ballet at the opera house. I can be there alone."

"If the meeting is on call me on this number using a clean phone." Oliver handed her a piece of paper. "Don't say anything. Wait ten seconds then end the call. Bring all the communication you've received from me so far. Do you have them?" Isabel nodded. 

"You should return to the reception now." 

"Oliver I..." Isabel's hand reached out to him.

"It's not safe here, you must go," Oliver said.

Isabel nodded and stepped back the way she came.

Felicity discreetly moved away from the door as Isabel came out and mingled with the crowd. "This is Alpha Two on the lower floor," said Diggle's voice in her ear, "one of the security units is missing."

**There are no external breaches, it must be someone already on the inside. I'm running staff logs against their location. Just a second. Yes a member of staff is missing, male wine server.**

"Pull all staff off the floor now," instructed Lyla. "Alpha One and Delta Two move to the targets." 

"There you are," said Isabel smiling as Oliver and Felicity approached. "Let's drink a toast to the reunion of old friends." Her eyes remained glued on Felicity, clearly excluding her. 

"And to new friends." Nicholai gave Felicity a nod of his head.

Glasses clinked.

"This is Alpha Two. Russian officer down. Code Red. Get the Minister and his wife out. The assassin is no longer a wine server. He has changed clothes. I repeat, Code Red."

"All units in the room stop moving, I repeat stand still." Lyla instructed.

At least ten pairs of eyes scanned the room. "Oliver, behind Sokolov's right shoulder," Lyla said, urgency in her voice. 

Oliver pulled Nicholai forward him and moved in. His elbow connected with the assassin's throat in a vicious jab; the man fell to the floor. The silencer in his hand jerked upwards and fired a shot into the ceiling.

The room erupted in screams of panic.

Felicity and Oliver hustled the Sokolovs out followed by Viktor.

Gun in hand Lyla took off after the assassin who had scrambled off the floor and fled.

**He's in the East Wing service corridor.**

Diggle withdrew his gun and headed off but Lyla had already cornered the assassin in a dining room. "Put down your weapon."

The man turned but before he could take aim, two shots pumped out from Lyla's gun and he fell. She walked towards the assassin and kicked his gun away just at Diggle came running into the room. "Target down" he said, watching the crimson stain spread over the front of the assassin's white shirt.

The Sokolov's, shielded by a ring of Russian security, were hustled outside the building and whisked away in an armoured vehicle.

Watching them leave, Oliver placed a hand on Felicity's shoulder. "You should go home. I'll just check in with Lyla and Digg before I go." 

"No Oliver, I want to come with you."

"There's nothing to do here Felicity. Just the cleaning up and there's a team to do that. I'll call you later. Come, let me walk you to your car." He took her elbow.

"Okay," she said reluctantly.

"We'll have more to work with in the morning and hopefully can ID the shooter. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. All in a day's work."

"I'll call you later." He brushed his lips against her cheek. 

On his way back inside Oliver's phone messaging signalled. The Bratva logo. There was a message waiting for him at home. Too bad he wasn't going home tonight.

\--

No one noticed the woman standing in the shadows well away from street lights and any camera that might pick up her image. Emiko Adachi removed her phone from her pocket and called the person waiting for her call.

_Hi. It's me. Compton's dead. It was always going to be a suicide mission for him._  
_No, no trail but just in case, clear out the Glades apartment tonight._  
_We follow the brother, he won't let her out of his sight after this._  
_We must disrupt this proposed partnership. If one of them dies on US soil, we've succeeded._

***

Felicity was exhausted. The evening had taken it's toll on her. She didn't trust the Sokolov's, there was something cold and calculating about both of them. She was concerned for Oliver and didn't like the way Viktor looked at him. He didn't tell her that Isabel's brother had pulled a gun on him. Digg did.

She drank some water and slowly got ready for bed.

Felicity grabbed for the phone when it rang. "Oliver."

"Hi beautiful. Can you let me in?"  
"What?"  
"I'm downstairs."  
"But I thought...okay, wait a second. I'm asking Tyson to let you into the garage." 

The door was ajar when he reached her apartment. He stepped inside and locked it behind him.  
She was right there waiting for him.  
In two strides he took her into his arms and held her.

Felicity placed her palms against his chest. "What's happened Oliver, is everything okay?"

"I need to be with you tonight. I took a long circuitous route to make sure I was not being followed." 

"Would you like something to drink? I have a bottle of your favourite whiskey." 

"Yes please. That would be nice." Oliver released her to remove his jacket and tie, then followed her into the kitchen. He sat on a stool around the island.

"straight?"  
"Yes. Thanks."

"What's going on Oliver? Did seeing Isabel upset you?" 

Oliver swallowed his drink in a couple of gulps. "They say the past is another country but in my case, it's one I can't leave."

"Oliver." She moved behind him and began to massage his shoulders. "You're really tensed."

"Am I?" He turned to face her, pulled her between his legs, wrapped his arms around her waist and laid his head on her chest. He was tired of this life. He needed to get far away from it and just be with her for a while. He was in love with Felicity Smoak, if he knew what love was. 

"Isabel will meet me tomorrow afternoon at the Opera House. She'll call to confirm."

Felicity lay her head on his and held him. She could feel his tiredness. "Come," she whispered, "you need to get some sleep." She took his hand and led him to the bedroom. 

****

By the time Oliver and Felicity arrived on the Grid the next morning, the team were already poring over a photographic display of the assassin, both dead and alive, dressed as a waiter then as an anonymous guest.

"Who is he?" Oliver asked.

"Mister Nobody. Unidentifiable. He's on no known database."

"Probably a clean skin who'd be used for something like this." 

"What about CCTV outside the venue during the day?"

"Only authentic delivery vans and other authorized personnel." 

"Ms Smoak, any ideas?" Waller turned to her last hope.

"We could try a motion analysis filter - a long shot but worth a try." 

"Really? Is that a thing?" Curtis was skeptical.

"Yup. Since 9/11 it's used at airports throughout the world. It's a piece of software developed by the Israelis. It analyses footfall by weight, height and pace. The older you get the more your walk resembles your fingerprint." 

"How come I know nothing about that," Curtis wailed.

"Not a problem Curtis, I'll do the modelling, you find a match." 

Using the information from the ME's profile of the dead assassin, Felicity piggybacked on a particular system that would remain known only to her, to produce a profile in silhouette of the assassin in motion.

Curtis matched it with the of images of individuals arriving at the reception venue throughout the day. "Found a match," he shouted after a few minutes. Everyone crowded around his work station. "He arrived as the driver of a Freshfields delivery van." 

"It's flowers for the event. That's how the gun entered the building. In one of those boxes. Very lax security," Diggle observed.

"Right, get on to the Company, find that driver," said Waller striding back to her office. "Good job Ms Smoak," she threw over her shoulder.

By mid-morning a flurry of activity found the van driver who had been highjacked, chloroformed and his body dumped in an alley. A review of public and private cameras in the area eventually found the assassin getting in and out of a vehicle registered to an address in The Glades district of Star City.

A raid found the apartment stripped of all personal belongings, if there was ever any there. The occupants had obviously left in a hurry. The place looked like an office, not a living space. 

None of the neighbours could offer a description of the various people seen entering and leaving the apartment. Felicity's motion analysis was of no help because the cameras in that part of the Glades were far and few between.

The team were back to square one, except they had a name to follow up. Emiko Adachi. 


	30. Russian Ballet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver meets with Isabel and is mistrusting of what he hears. Then he has a disquieting conversation with Anatoly.

"How is it going? Where are we on the search for Adachi?" Oliver leant over Felicity's shoulder to look at her screen. A slight shiver ran up her spine at his nearest. The breath caught in her throat when the thumb on the hand resting on the back of her chair lightly stroked the side of her body. He moved away from her, a small grin on his face. 

"We found a Kazumi Adachi who died in a house fire in the Glades, regarded as suspicious by the police. The implication is the fire hid a murder. Kazumi had one child, a daughter Emiko, born in 1989, father unknown. There are childhood records but absolutely nothing over the last few years. She seems to have vanished into thin air. I've tried everything I know, including searching the dark web. There is absolutely nothing current." 

"Oliver," Lyla beckoned him over. "I think this one's for you."

Oliver picked up the only handset flashing on the bank of four phones on Lyla workstation. It corresponded to the number he'd given Isabel. There was no one on the line, apparently. Oliver looked at his watch. After ten seconds the line went dead. "It's Isabel, the meeting is on," he said.

"I need you on Comms Oliver." He opened his mouth to object but Lyla gave him her stern look. "Her brother threatened you Oliver. John and Alena will shadow you." Her tone was firm and broached no argument.

Thirty minutes later Oliver left for his rendezvous with Isabel Rochev. Diggle and Alena had already left. 

****

**The Russian Ambassdor's residence**

Isabel Rochev Sokolov responded to a knock on her door, and her brother walked in.

"What is it Viktor?"  
"Did you make a call to Oliver?"  
"What?"  
"I know Bella..."  
Isabel Rochev stared at her brother wondering what was coming next. "What are you talking about Viktor?" 

"You're a spy. Have been for some years. You've betrayed our country, your husband and now you've turned me into a traitor too. Please don't deny it." 

Isabel was calm, only her eyes betrayed her agitation. She quickly assessed her options. There were none. This day had arrived sooner than she expected. "What are you going to do?" 

"Give me the phone."  
"What are you going to do Viktor?"  
"Bella please, just give me the phone."

Isabel stared at her brother. Uncertainty flashed in her eye, then resignation. She walked to the desk in the room, removed a sim card from it's hiding place and gave it to him with the phone. 

"Leave the residence now. Don't come back until this evening," Viktor told his sister. 

"Viktor please don't..."..Isabel placed a placating hand on her brother's chest. He moved away from her..."put yourself in danger," she finished the sentence. 

"You put me in danger when you became a traitor. What about my nephew, your three-year-old son. Did you ever think about him and what would happen if you are exposed?"

Brother and sister stared at each other then Viktor walked out. He went straight to the security officer who told him their scanners had picked up a call from an unregistered mobile phone in the ambassador's residence, but nothing was said on the call. 

"Hey Aleksander, about that call from an unregistered phone, don't take it upstairs yet. Let's see what else we can find." 

"There's no signal from the phone. It must have been stripped or destroyed. Suspicious eh? The number belongs to a timber yard. It's probably a collection station, like the CIA would use. But no problem, if it's still around I'll find the mobile. Key logs should tell us who was in the residence at the time. Then we must report it. That's procedure." 

"Okay." Viktor kept his face as neutral as possible. He needed to keep an eye on Alek, he could not be allowed to take this to their superiors. 

****

  


Diggle took up his observational position inside the Opera House where he had a full view of Oliver and Isabel Rochev. Alena was outside the building to alert Digg and Oliver of anyone going in or anything otherwise suspicious.

"This is Delta Three. A man has just entered the building. About 6ft, slim, dark hair. I'd say in his mid 20s."

Diggle glanced around the auditorium from his secluded spot below Oliver's position. "Copy that Delta Three. I can't see anyone yet."

"A second person is now going in. I think it's V.R," Alena reported. 

"Do you copy Alpha One? Scratch your nose or something." Diggle waited for a response. He was getting exasperated with Oliver. "Alpha One do you copy?  
Keep your eyes peeled Delta Three, Alpha One is not responding."

"Alpha One is probably off comms. Delta Three out." 

Diggle sighed and shook his head. From his position he could only see Oliver and Isabel and a certain radius around them. It was the most advantageous spot he could find without giving his presence away. What was Oliver playing at? 

Oliver and Isabel Rochev sat side by side in the empty auditorium watching the solitary dancer on stage. Oliver had switched off his comms, he knew Digg had eyes on him. "We don't have much time." 

"When did we ever. I was surprised to hear from you. Are you my new handler now? I've not heard from Peter Brown for a while, if that's his name. And you. I'm not use to Jensen, I prefer Queen." 

"It's my cover name. Isabel, it wasn't me who made contact with you." 

"What?"

"I'm not your handler. Someone is posing as me."

"The messages...Oliver somebody knows about us."

"What did they ask?"

"They wanted to know about the partnership deal. Oliver I told them everything. I thought it was you. I'm sorry. Who knows about us?" 

Oliver had an idea but he would keep it to himself for now.

Neither of them noticed they were being observed by two people: Aleksander Luchkin who had followed Mrs Sokolov, and Viktor Rochev who'd followed his boyhood friend.

Aleksander left his observation point. He'd seen enough but he was troubled. His boss's wife was either having an affair or was a spy. He didn't know what to do.

"Have you already called it in," a voice asked behind him.

Aleksander turned and calmly observed his friend. "Yes, the moment I suspected you were covering for her." 

"You're lying Alek. You're scared of my brother-in-law like everyone else. You'd have to be sure before you start making accusations against his wife." 

Instinctively Aleksander knew his life was in danger. Viktor would protect his sister and defend her honour. Before he could reach for his weapon, Viktor was on him. A frantic and desperate struggle ensued. 

Aleksander missed his foothold and fell with Viktor's arms braced around his neck. He couldn't get away from the choke hold. His struggles became more and more futile. He was losing consciousness and there was nothing he could do about it. His eyes closed. 

Below them Isabel and Oliver were still conversing whilst the solitary dancer on stage practised a succession of slow, soft, lyrical and continuous movements to the strains of somebody's piano concerto. 

"Viktor knows about me." Isabel kept her eyes on the dancer. 

"I know. He came to see me. Did you bring the communication you've received so far?" 

"No. I'm sorry. I couldn't. Viktor came to my room and demanded the phone I used to call you. That's when he told me he knew about us. He ordered me to leave the residence. I'm frightened for him. I don't know what he's going to do." 

"Viktor won't betray you Isabel. He would have done so already. He wants to protect you. What do you mean he knows about us?" 

"Just that I'm working for you. You know that don't you? I'm doing this for you. Whatever happens there is one thing I'll never regret, how my son came to me." Isabel gazed up into Oliver's eyes. He frowned. "Isabel what are you saying?"

"I'm talking about your son Oliver, his name is Sasha. He's like you in some ways." 

Oliver felt the chasm opening up beneath his feet. He stared in shock and disbelief at Isabel. "My son? We have a son? You got pregnant and didn't say anything, even when I came to Russia to recruit you?" 

"I was married to Nicholai by then. He thought the child was his, and insisted we got married straight away. When you came back I thought it best not to tell you about Sasha, especially after everything that happened." 

Oliver's eyes narrowed. "So why now?" 

"Oliver," Isabel touched his face. "There's nothing to be concerned about. I'm happy in my marriage. I just thought you should know that you're a father. Look, I have to go. Let's arrange to meet again. You better leave first."

Oliver was struck dumb. To say what Isabel had just told him was a bombshell would be an understatement. Blue laser pinpoints examined every pore on her face looking for truth. His default position of mistrust came to the fore. "Is the boy here with you? I will want a DNA test to prove that the child is mine." 

"Sasha is at home with Nicholai's parents and his English nanny, we want him to be proficient in English. Oliver you must go. I've already overstayed my time here. Please don't be angry with me." 

"This is not settled Isabel. And you're not doing anything for me. You chose to do this. I'll need copies of all the communication you received from the fake me. You'll have to arrange to get them to me." 

Isabel nodded. "Yes, now Viktor knows he will help me with that. Please, you should go." 

Without another word Oliver rose from his seat and made his way to the exit, his mind still reeling. Was he being manipulated by Isabel, for what purpose? Why did she choose not to leave Russia. That's what she wanted to do. 

Halfway down the stairs Oliver's phone rings. It was an unknown number. "Yes?" he answered. 

_When you're finished with my sister come to the backstage corridor._

Oliver frowned. Viktor had followed his sister, he should have known. How did he get his number. Oliver turned on his comms. "Can you hear me Alpha Two."

"Loud and clear Alpha One. What the hell happened?" There was anger in Diggle's voice. 

"Will explain later. The target was followed here. I've just been summoned to the backstage corridor by our friend from the other night."

"Yes, you would've known that if you'd kept your comms on. I'll meet you there." 

Oliver headed for the backstage corridor to find Viktor Rochev waiting for him. "What is it Viktor?" 

Viktor jerked his head behind him. It was then Oliver saw the body on the floor. "Who's that?"

"His name is Aleksander. He was my friend. I've known him since I was fifteen. He knew about the call Isabel made on an unregistered phone and he saw you with her. He was going to report it. It's your fault. If you'd left her alone like I asked, he would still be alive."

"Viktor listen to me. Before your arrival here I have not been in communication with Isabel. It's someone posing as me."

"Bullshit. What are you doing with her here?" 

"I'm telling you the truth, I need her help to find out who the imposter is, and yours too. 

"What happened between you and my sister Oliver?"

"Did you ask her?"

"Whenever I do she changes the subject." That wasn't strictly true but he wanted to hear what Oliver had to say.

"I met your sister about four years ago when I first arrived in Russia. She begged me to help her get out of the country. She feared for her life and yours. I couldn't help her at that time, I wasn't in a position to do so."

"So you abandoned her."

"That's not what she'd say. After I left she reached out to our Embassy and I was asked to meet with her. We were betrayed. I was picked up, sent to Metak and accused of being a spy. I didn't hear from Isabel again until now. When you asked to meet that's when I knew someone was making contact with her pretending to be me."

"Who?"

"I don't know."

"Well find out and if you cannot deal with them, I will. Do you hear me? I want to know who put my sister's life in danger."

"To do so, I'll need your help as I've said."  
"How?" 

"If Isabel is still receiving messages from the imposter, she should ask to meet with them, saying you know about her." 

"You want to use my sister as bait? No. I will not agree." 

"Viktor it's the only way to find out who wants to harm Isabel and Nicholai. We can control the environment and protect her." 

"No. That is final. I will not let you put Bella's life in danger more that you've already done." 

"Why don't you let her decide? It's up to you Viktor. If you change your mind call me. You know my number. How did you get that by the way?" 

Viktor ignored that last question. "There is something you can do for me Oliver." 

"What is that?" 

"You need to help me clear this up." Viktor looked down at his friend's body. "There's no one else I can ask. It's just you and me, Oliver."

Oliver nodded. He turned to Diggle who was approaching them, gun drawn. 

****

  


Oliver gave the team a report on his conversation with Isabel and what happened with Viktor. The only thing he omitted was the part about his supposed son.

"So now the Russians will be on edge. A member of their security team has vanished without trace on American soil. This gets murkier and murkier," John commented. "You can not meet with any of them alone again Oliver." 

"But I wasn't alone. I had you and Alena." Diggle gave him the look.

"I agree with John Oliver," Lyla supported her husband. "Will further copies of the communication Rochev received help us find the imposter any sooner?" 

"The more material we have, the more likely it is to spot an anomaly, something that stands out. I think we need the additional information from Isabel." 

Lyla looked at Felicity and nodded. She just wanted to protect Oliver. He could be so damn reckless sometimes like he had a death wish. "Yes you're right Felicity. Why don't you meet with Isabel?" 

Oliver disagreed. "That's not a good idea." 

"On the contrary it's perfect," Diggle countered. "Felicity has met Isabel and it would take the spotlight off you and make it less of a _thing_ between you and the Minister's wife." 

"He's right Oliver. Let me do it, its a mission for the entire team." 

"Fine, but it should be in a public place like the art gallery or the science museum," Oliver insisted. He turned to Lyla. "Someone unknown to the Rochev's should shadow her." 

All eyes turned to Alena. She grinned. "I'll do it. By the way there was a woman in a beanie and sunglasses outside the Opera House after Viktor Rochev turned up. I don't know why, I just took a photo of her." Alena passed her phone to Lyla. 

"Check it against the guests at the reception and outside the building." Alena nodded.

After the debrief Oliver asked Felicity to stay behind once the others had gone. He needed to tell her about Sasha, his supposed son. He didn't believe Isabel for a moment. What was her game? 

****

Back at home for the first time in twenty-four hours, Oliver headed straight to his office and the Bratva phone. There was a message from Anatoly. He called. 

"Oliver my boy. I've been waiting for your call."

"I suppose you know about the attempt on the Sokolov's life and are now ready to tell me about the target." 

"That is it Oliver, members of the Ninth Circle are illusive. We cannot pin them down. That's why you didn't get the go ahead until they showed their hand. But they strike and disappear. They have been a thorn in the Brotherhood's side for decades. All we know is that Adachi is their new leader. We are depending on you to do whatever is necessary to protect Minister Sokolov and his wife." 

"So you think the Ninth Circle is responsible for the recent assassination attempt?" 

"Without a doubt. You can get to them through your work." 

"No Anatoly. We agreed to this. I will not mix my official work with that of Bratva. I keep the two separate. You know that." 

"Don't be stupid Oliver. In this particular case the needs of your country and that of the Brotherhood intertwine. The Brotherhood demands your loyalty." 

When no response was forthcoming, Anatoly sighed. He hoped it would not come to this and maybe he always knew it would. "The Ninth Circle is a highly secretive terrorist organization. I'm surprised they're not on your radar Oliver. Its antecedents go back centuries. They've conspired in multiple wars, overthrown governments, corrupt national and local leadership. They create chaos and mayhem, death and destruction wherever they go. Let me tell you something you don't know Oliver. The Ninth Circle were complicit with Malcolm Merlyn in engineering the sinking of the Gambit and the death of your father. Since becoming Pakan I have access to such information." 

The new Pakan held in reserve his knowledge that Emiko Adachi was Robert Queen's illegitimate child. That might come in handy another time.

Oliver felt all the air rush out of his body and heard the thunderous thump of his heart. A black hole opened up and sucked him in. 


	31. Reciprocated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver has a major reaction to what Anatoly said and wants to go after the Ninth Circle but he needs Felicity more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm finding this story addictive and neglecting all else. Thank you so much for keeping up with it. Here's another update. Smut at the end warning...or promise.

_Inside the vortex and outside..._  
_Feeling...experiencing_  
_Unable to reach her..._  
_Arms flailing...Water...cold...Opaque..._  
_Frozen. Gasping for breath..._  
_Hauled into lifeboat..._  
_Gunshot_  
_A body...limp...heavy on shoulder..._  
_Pain_  
_A cave... Dark...Dank.._  
_Pain...Chinese man...Black straggly hair..._  
_Watching...Waiting....Hungry..._  
_Impotent..._  
_Bird...white feathers...soft...kill..._  
_Captured...Lost in maelstrom...Freefalling_  
_Fear_  
_Fury_  
_Cold steel...Piercing...Pain_  
_Low Groan_  
_Penetrating soft membrane_  
_Excruciating pain_  
_Screaming_  
_Death...death..._

\--

Oliver was having a fearful reaction to Anatoly's words, reliving the shock of his earliest days on Lian Yu. He had no idea how long he'd lain on the floor in a near catatonic state. The crippling pain of remembrance stored in the deepest, darkest crevices of his body was demanding acknowledgement. 

Limbs still twitching, he dropped the Bratva phone still in his hand and sat up. The dam had burst. Tears washed his face, raw harrowing sobs filled the room. He'd never felt so alone. Probably because for the very first time in his life he wasn't alone. He had Felicity. He needed her now but incapable of going to her.

He'd always believed his father's death was his fault. Robert had taken his own life so his son could survive. That's partly why he was unable to go home. What would he tell his mom? It became more difficult with each passing year. Now Anatoly was telling him the Gambit had been sabotaged as part of a conspiracy involving Malcolm Merlyn. Tommy's dad? 

His chest tightened, his head was exploding. He would delve into that after finding Adachi. That was part of purging the pain. 

Laying back down Oliver curled into the fetal position, hands between his knees.

His eyes closed. 

****

  


Diggle was surprised to find Oliver on the Grid so early. Waller was the only one usually there at this time. John was certain the woman had no life outside ARGUS. "Hey man, you're early. What's up? Unable to sleep?" 

Oliver looked up at Diggle. "I think I've found Emiko. At least we might know what she looks like." 

Diggle stared at his friend. There was a feral look in his eyes. "You look like shit Oliver. What's going on?" 

"I'm fine John. Take a look at this. Here is a photograph from Emiko Adachi's school yearbook, and this is the photo that Alena took yesterday outside the theatre. This is our assassin." 

"Oliver, Lyla shot the assassin dead at the venue, remember?"

"I know that John, but he was just the hired gun. Who hired him? We know this woman is involved and she turned up right after Viktor arrived at the Opera House." They both looked up as Felicity and Lyla arrived.

Lyla looked from Oliver to Diggle. She put down the carton container with coffee. "What's going on?"

"Oliver might have found something. Take a look at this." 

"What am I looking at?" Diggle explained. "What's her link to the Sokolov's?"

"None that I can see but she's part of a terrorist group called the Ninth Circle," Oliver replied. "The image captured by Alena _is_ Emiko Adachi. We should draw her out into the open." 

"How?" Felicity stared at Oliver. There was a subtle change in him. She couldn't put her finger on it but this was not the Oliver who told her about Isabel's claim to have given birth to his son. They discussed the possibilities for disproving it with or without Isabel's cooperation. He was calm and laid back about it all.

Something had changed overnight.

This was not the Oliver who talked dirty in her ear and kissed her soundly and thoroughly before they went their separate ways. She knew he was aware of her scrutiny and was avoiding eye contact. A coldness gripped her heart. Was this a rerun of that post-Tommy time when he'd pulled away from her. She was not going to let that happen again. 

"If someone wants to kill the Sokolov's we should create an opportunity." All eyes focused on Oliver.

"What are you saying? That's crazy man." Diggle stared at his friend. He was losing it over this whole Rochev business. 

"What Diggle? We've done it before."  
"The Sokolov's would never agree."  
"Nicholai wouldn't but Isabel and Viktor might."  
"Have you suggested it to them?"  
"I mentioned it to Viktor."  
"And? What did he say?"  
"It's not up to him. Isabel should have a say."  
"So he said no."

"Actually there's some mileage in that," Lyla agreed with Oliver. "We can control the environment and draw the imposter out. But it will need the co-operation of the two Rochev's. Oliver might be on to something." 

"Suppose the imposter is not the same person or people who want the Sokolov's dead?" Felicity didn't take her eyes off Oliver. For the first time his eyes came to rest on her. They were expressionless. Her heart sank. She had lost him again.

"One step at a time," Lyla said, "we will find out in time. But how do you know about this Ninth Circle Oliver, I've never heard of them." 

"What's this about the Ninth Circle," Amanda Waller asked, walking on to the Grid. 

"Oliver believes they are involved in the attempted assassination of the Sokolovs."

"The four of you, in my office. Now." 

The team looked at one another, a little bemused. 

Four pairs of eyes watched Waller pace her office on five inch heels. She suddenly stopped.  
"The Felix Bazley and Strang Bank case. Ms Smoak found a large sum of money, $6bn to be exact, held by one account holder. Just before the bank closed down that money found it's way to Pakistan. We believe the account holder is a front for the Ninth Circle." 

"We?" Oliver queried. 

Waller zeroed in on him. "How do you know about the Ninth Circle Oliver? Very few people know of their existence." 

My Russian contacts, they believe the Ninth Circle is targeting the Sokolovs to stop the partnership." He remembered the exchange with Waller during the Strang Bank mission. "You said we couldn't pursue the $6bn and the two assassin impersonators." 

"That hasn't change. Stay away from The Ninth Circle." Waller's eyes narrowed. What kind of Russian contact would have such detailed information to share with Oliver? 

"Why? What if they are involved with the attempted assassination of the Sokolovs?" Oliver persisted. 

"This is bigger than this Agency and goes beyond this country. During the Strang bank mission we were warned off, so stay away. They are somebody else's nightmare. This is bigger than you can imagine." 

"Are you saying we should back off investigating who has reactivated Isabel Rochev?" 

"No. Absolutely not but we have strict instructions not to go after the Ninth Circle. They are being pursued at another level. Is that clear?" 

Oliver would be damned if he'd back down from exposing the terrorist organisation who had orchestrated the disaster that befell his family. "What if the person we seek is a member of the Ninth Circle?" 

For our purposes that person is an individual, not the organisation. That's final people now let's get back to work." 

****

Later that day Oliver and Felicity made their way down to the parking level together. "Follow me home Oliver."  
"What?"  
"You're staying with me."  
"Felicity. I know I broke our agreement a couple of nights ago but it was a one off."  
"There's something off with you today and I wanna know what."  
"Felicity, I need you to be safe."  
"No Oliver. This is how it's going to work. If you don't follow me home then I'll follow you."  
Oliver sighed. He was not going to win this one. "Fine. I'll follow you but I'll get there some time after you."  
She grinned at him. "Good."

Felicity had changed and had a drink waiting for Oliver by the time he arrived. "I'll have to give you a key," she said letting him in. 

"Hey." He smiled, removing his jacket, shoes and socks before joining her on the couch.  
Oliver leant back and closed his eyes. He wanted to protect her but he was glad to be here with her.

Felicity sat quietly by his side watching him. Oliver opened his eyes and took her hand, lacing their fingers. "It's nice to be here." 

"So you're glad I bullied you into coming," her thumb gently rubbed his.  
"Yeah." He gave her a tremulous little smile.

Felicity looked down at their joined hands. "Something happened last night Oliver, something bad. I see it on your face. Tell me."

"The past keeps dragging me back, it won't let go." 

"That's probably because you've not accepted it and dealt with it. The past is part of you Oliver. Part of who you've become. You can't have it be an isolated, disconnected little island floating around inside you." 

Oliver raised the hand he was holding to his lips. "Were you born wise?"  
She grinned. "Yeah, probably." 

Oliver took a mouthful of whiskey and stared into space with unseeing eyes. His body was still vibrating from the night before. "I had a call from a friend in Russia last night. Anatoly who was on Ivo's freighter." 

Felicity nodded. He'd told her about Anatoly. "What exactly did he say that has you so cranky?" 

Oliver gently disentangled their hands, got up and walked to the window. He stood with his back to her.  
She watched him and waited, knowing he was struggling for control. 

"Anatoly told me the Ninth Circle had a hand in sabotaging my father's yacht. It resulted in his death and stole eight years of my life, a time, until now, when nothing good happened. He turned towards her, "it shattered my family." 

Felicity's eyes widened. She got up and went to him. "Do you believe him?"

"Why would he lie to me?" 

_If he wanted me to kill Adachi._ He hadn't thought of that until now.

Felicity shrugged. "I don't know. What are you going to do?" 

"I don't know. I heard what Waller said but I can't let this go." 

"Oliver," she said softly, "you met Anatoly on the high seas, how would he know what happened to your dad's boat?"

"Because he is now head of the Russian Mafia. He stared unflinchingly into her eyes. His blue laser gaze burning deep into her soul.

Felicity stared back, hearing what he was telling her. _"The Solntsevskaya._ You're Bratva," she said softly, making a statement, understanding dawning. That's why your home is like a fortress.

"Felicity, I...." 

Felicity put a finger on his lips. "You don't have to explain Oliver, I'd never judge you. You did what you had to do to survive. You would expect me of all people to understand that." 

"Felicity, I..."

"Shh." She reach up to kiss his cheek. I love you." 

He pulled her into his arms and plundered her mouth. She opened to him, willing, giving him her heart in a deep kiss. He pulled away, panting a little. "I love you too, but I don't deserve you." 

She held his face between her hands. "I've been wanting to hear you say that for so long. And you do deserve me because I deserve you."

"I love you Felicity. I know I've not said those precise words before. From now on I'll tell you several times a day, every day." 

She snuggled up close to him threading her arms through his, a wide grin on her face. "You will? I'll hold you to that. Now tell me what else Anatoly said." 

He stared at her knowing he couldn't keep this from her. "He wants me to kill her."

"Oliver, you can't go after them by yourself. By all accounts these people are dangerous." 

"I owe Bratva Felicity. No one else knows about my Bratva connections, not even Amanda. It only came about because I saved Anatoly's life and he saw membership of the Brotherhood as some kind of reward. And you're right, to a certain extent it also protected me in Russia." 

"Oliver what is said between us in the privacy of our own homes stay between us, okay?" 

"Thank you."

"Please don't do anything reckless, not before you talk to me okay?" Pushing up on tip toes, she pressed a kiss to his lips. It lingered for several moments before she pulled away, her eyes half-lidded as she stared up at him. "Promise me." 

A sweet smile curved his lips, his blue eyes softened as he gazed into her green-y-blue ones. "I promise I'll talk to you first before I do anything reckless." He ran his hands down her back until they cup the sloping cheeks of her ass and pulls her against his growing hardness. He loved the feel of her in his hands. Another kiss is filled with the lust that flow through him whenever he's with her. He needs her now. "Felicity" he murmurs against her lips before picking her up and heads to the bedroom, her legs wrap around his waist. 

He laid her sideways on the bed and pulled off her skimpy tank top, fully expecting her rosy-tipped breasts to beckon him. He knew she had no bra on. They did. He fondled them, letting his thumbs graze over her nipples while he watched her. She gazed at him through half closed eyes, lips slightly partly, enjoying the feel of his hands on her body. "Oliver," she breathed. 

That was his cue to gently kiss each breast in turn. She shivered as his tongue slides over her skin, lapping at each nipple, before he sucks one deep into his warm mouth, whilst roughly massaging the other. She moans loudly, and he pulls down her sweats only to feel her nakedness. Oliver releases her breast with a soft _plop_ and grins. "Oh Felicity, you bad girl. You know I should punish you for this." 

"What for?"  
"For depriving me of that pleasure," a finger strokes between her folds." 

Another moan escapes from her as the heat spirals out from her core. "Yes please sir. punish me." Her fingers glide through his hair and tug gently. Oliver stepped away from her. Felicity pouts at the desertion.

Oliver removed all his clothes while she watched. When his hard jutting cock is freed from the restrictions of his boxers, Felicity makes grabby hands at him.

Oliver stepped back to the bed, tugs her body towards him and hooked an arm beneath her knee. He pulls it up so it comes to rest against his hip, her hot sex tempting him. He can barely stave off the need to fill her but not yet. With one finger he parts her folds and strokes between her lips, circling her entrance and then her clit. He repeats the movement until Felicity moans loudly. “You’re so wet for me, Felicity.” His dark azure blue eyes glitter as he watched her. "What do you want baby?" 

"I want you to fuck me sir."  
"How?"  
"In every way sir, please."

Oliver bends his head and lets the tip of his tongue touch her clit, his scruff tickles her tender flesh making her shiver, her hands gripping the sheet in anticipation. Oliver opens his mouth and devours her in the way he always does, giving her untold pleasure. His lips and tongue ravish her until she is panting hard, writhing and moaning. He pressed his tongue into her slick walls, every slight brush of his nose against her swollen nub sent her closer to the edge. Without preamble he sunk three fingers deep inside her and Felicity screams out his name at the sudden penetration. 

She grinds down on him and the wet succulent noises made by his fingers moving in and out of her is driving him crazy. He want's to feel her, taste her, fuck her all at once. He watches her whilst his fingers fucked her slowly, then roughly with precision, then slow again until she was nearing her peak, her body open to his eyes, yielding. He stopped, his fingers stilled inside her. A sob escaped Felicity, her eyes begged him. This was her delicious punishment and she craved it. "Oliver please," she begged.

"Do you want to come baby?"

"Yes please sir."

His fingers move brushing up against a spot inside, then curved making her cry out. "Come for me Felicity, let me see you." He pressed hard against her sweet spot whilst brushing his thumb over her clit. Felicity surrenders to the red hot flare that blur her vision and dam up her ears with white noise. Her eyes slam shut and mouth fall open in sheer ecstasy. Her flow coats his fingers. 

Oliver watch her fall apart, delighting in the most beautiful thing he'll always want to see. He loves this woman who'd wormed her way unbidden into his life. 

He gives her time to come back down before kneeling on the bed between her legs, his eyes rest on her slick puffy folds. He leans over her body to claim her lips. Felicity's arms wraps around his neck, tongues caress whilst Oliver drags his rigid and eager cock over her sex, coating it in her wetness. Felicity whimpers in his mouth, desperate for him to be inside her. 

Oliver ends their kiss but his lips trail down her entire body from her jaw to her mound. He returns to his kneeling position between her legs and grasps her ass cheeks pulling her body up to where he wants it. He pushed slowly into her, watching his cock split her open, until he is fully inside her. 

"Fuck Oliver, that feels so good," she breathes. His pace begins slow and deliberate at first but when Felicity lifts her hips and squeeze him, Oliver moans and quickens his place, making her breasts jiggle. His eyes locked on the place where their body joins, Oliver fucks her hard and deep. Felicity's mouth open in a silent scream as he keeps up a relentless pace. 

Knowing he was on the edge, Oliver lowers her body to the bed and covers it with his own. Her legs reach up and wrap themselves high on his back, open up her body to him. Oliver's wet greedy mouth finds her breast and sucks on it hard, a thumb and finger pull and pinch her clit. Felicity's orgasm erupts and triggers his own. With another couple of grunting thrusts, he spills inside her. With ecstasy etched on their faces. they cling to each other in a state of sublime pleasure. Tonight their coupling held an extra piquancy. 

Eventually Oliver rolls off her body and pulls her to him, kissing her forehead.

"Wow," Felicity said, her hand smoothing over his chest. "What was that?"

He kisses her again. "I love you Smoak, you're glorious."

"Mmm…" she sighs, her lips pressing a kiss on his shoulder. "So are you."

His hand reaches up to cup her cheek. "You're the best thing that has ever happened to me Felicity," he whispers. 

"When did you know?"  
That gorgeous smile that makes her melt lights up his face. "Well it's difficult to say, at a guess when you shot that pirate to save my life, but I'd say definitely when we danced at the Bellagio. I fell in love with you slowly, then all at once."

She gaped at him. "How do you know what I'm asking?" 

"Because I love you, I can read your mind."

"Okay Mister Smartypants, what am I thinking now?"

"That you're starving and need to be fed," he chuckled. 

Felicity laughed. "I want crispy duck and dim sum, then it will be time for dessert." 

He grinned. "I love dessert." He kissed her. "How about we clean up and order." 

"Sounds good to me," she replies. 

It was just the two of them, everything and everyone else faded out. Tomorrow they would face whatever, together. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, he tells her!
> 
> Next chapter - Felicity has a one-on-one with Isabel.
> 
> Acknowledgment: Use of great phrase from Jbuffyangel's meta


	32. The Real Isabel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something's not right with Isabel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a rollercoaster update. A lot happens so hold on to your 👒 🎩

**Russian Ambassador's Residence**

Isabel Rochev paced her bedroom.

Things were not going exactly to plan. Ruining Oliver Queen was personal revenge. Payback. She'd never been able to bend him to her will and had failed miserably to recruit him, the heir to the Queen fortune. That would have been a feather in her cap but those plans had been thwarted by Oliver himself. She'd made him pay for that.

But the bigger plan, the one she'd been sent to accomplish was in danger of going completely off the rails. Nicholai had proved to be too good at his job and she had to come up with something else to sabotage his plans. He was never meant to get killed at the reception, just caused sufficient injury to derail the partnership plans. It might have succeeded if Oliver's team had not intervened. Damn the man and his little blond. And damn Nicholai for insisting they were part of his security detail. Oh yes, her husband suspected they'd had an affair. He'd always been jealous of Oliver.

Isabel wondered how much Nicholai knew or was it just speculation on his part. Even their marriage was part of a bigger objective. Her husband was part of the new breed, seeking détente. Those she worked for were against it, so was she. Her position as Nicholai's wife kept eyes on him and meant she had insight into what government was planning. Resetting the button on relationships with the West was anathema to her group. 

She had to see Oliver again, give him one last chance and Viktor would help her. Isabel called her brother.

Viktor Rochev looked at his ringing phone. His sister. "Bella? Something wrong?" He didn't have time now. He'd already disposed of Alek's things but needed to plant information on his hard drive to make it look like he'd defected.

"Why would anything be wrong Viktor? I need your help. Can you come to my room?"

Within minutes her brother knocked on her door and walked in. "What is it Bella?" 

The messages I received. I have to get them to Oliver so he can find out who sent them."  
"I know."  
"You know?"  
"I saw you with him."  
"You followed me?"

"So did Aleksander Luchkin." A sob escaped from Viktor.

"Viktor, what's wrong?"  
"Aleksander. You remember Aleksander."

"Viktor? Why are you asking that? The two of you have been friends since you were both boys."  
"He is missing."  
"Missing?"

"Yes Bella, missing. You have turned me into a traitor like you. Aleks saw you with Oliver. He was going to tell his superior officer who would have told Nicholai, so I had to stop him." 

"I'm so sorry Viktor." She'd been careless with the last message and Viktor had found it, but his interventions had proved useful. He was just a naïve boy.

"You need to tell me Bella, I need to know why you betrayed us."

Isabel moved away from her brother and sat on the bed. This was all part of the subterfuge, the wall that kept her hidden. "Our parents, they told me their coffins were closed because their car caught fire. Then I discovered that three months before they died, they were photographed in a park talking to some dissidents who were under surveillance.  
"Our parents didn't die in a car accident. They were executed by the secret police for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Their crime? They asked the wrong people for directions."

That's the story she'd told Oliver in her attempt to reel him in. It gave the impression that she had a legitimate grievance against her country.

Brother and sister hugged. "I'm sorry Viktor. I'm so sorry. I couldn't tell you the truth. You were so young."

"I'm sorry too Bella. What do you want me to do?"

"Contact Oliver and arrange a meeting so I can give him the information. Will you do that for me?" 

Her brother nodded, "I know. We talked yesterday. I'm coming with you."  
"You and Oliver talked?" 

"Yes Bella. Do you not understand? I killed Aleksander. I had to ask Oliver's help to move the body."  
"Oh Viktor, I'm so sorry you have to put yourself in danger for me." She stroked his face and tears brimmed in her eyes.

Isabel Rochev was a consummate actress. She had to be, given the double life she led.

"There's something else Bella. He want's to draw out the person sending you these messages."  
"How?" 

"He wants you to send a message saying you are about to be exposed and ask to meet."  
"Okay."  
"No Bella, you could get hurt. If anything happened to you..."

It was perfect. This would probably be the last opportunity she'd have to shut this whole thing down once and for all. "I want to do it Viktor. Call Oliver and arrange it." 

****

"You're up Felicity" Oliver said, putting his phone back in his pocket. "That was Viktor. Isabel wants to meet. The Art Gallery in an hour. Are you sure you want to do this?" He'd lose his mind if anything happened to her. 

"Oliver. This is like any other mission." 

"We're dealing with very dangerous people."

"Who? Isabel and her brother? Because I don't trust either of them."

"Maybe. I don't know. I'm talking about the people who want to kill them."

Felicity could see the tension in his body. "I'll be careful and Alena will shadow me."

"You better get your comms fitted and leave now Alena." Lyla glanced at Oliver. He seemed more agitated than necessary. She wanted this assignment over too. It brought back bad memories. 

She'd been so careful with the plans for Isabel Rochev's extraction from Russia but somehow it had all gone wrong and Oliver had been captured. Now she knew the flaw in the plan was his previous relationship with Rochev; it had not been factored in. But still, his safe passage on that mission had been down to her.

Lyla didn't notice Oliver had moved. He was now standing close to her. "You really must stop beating yourself up about it. It wasn't your fault," he said softly so only she could hear.

"And you must stop worrying about Felicity. I've drafted extra security in on this. There'll be an additional person inside with Alena and two outside the Gallery." They stared at each other. "Thank you," he mouthed before moving away.

Lyla stared after him, feeling choked up. How did he know what she was thinking and feeling at that very moment? She was aware of his sensitivity to the world around him, probably honed by his time on the island, and she always trusted his instincts. Lyla cared about Oliver especially because he and the love of her life were so close. She and Johnny were very protective of him and happy that the budding relationship between him and Felicity was proving to be so good for Oliver, transformational in fact. He deserved to find happiness. 

****

Felicity saw Isabel Rochev immediately she entered the gallery. She was sitting on a bench by herself in front of a Central Park landscape, it's Fall colours reflected in the lake. Felicity sat quietly beside her for sometime before speaking. 

"Oliver thought it best not to meet with you again so soon after the incident last time."

"And you're the one he sends." Isabel's voice was flat and carried no inflection Felicity could read. 

"Do you have the communication he supposedly sent you?" Felicity waited in the long pause before Isabel responded.

"I saw the way he looks at you. Oliver loves you doesn't he?"

Felicity took a deep breath. "I have no idea how to answer that question Isabel, or why I ever would." 

"But he trusts you."

"We work as a team. We trust each other." 

"But you are in a relationship. He sleeps with you, I can tell. Do you think you know everything about him? You can't expect complete trust from a man like Oliver, given what he has gone through. He can't even give that to himself." 

_Well you seem to know a lot about it. Is your son really his, somehow I doubt it. There's something off about you._

"I know Oliver is supposed to be the father of your child. At least that's what you told him." 

Isabel Rochev turned to face Felicity, fury in her eyes. "I do not appreciate..." she began and stopped. Over Felicity's shoulder she saw her brother approaching. "Viktor, there you are." There was a distinct change in her tone and a smile on her face. "Megan Kuttler, my brother Viktor Rochev. Megan attended our reception with Oliver." 

"Hello Victor," Felicity greeted him. "Nice to see you again. Oliver and I work together."

"Ms Kuttler." Viktor Rochev gave her a slight bow. "Where is Oliver? I was expecting him. Why isn't he here?"

His imperious tone grated on Felicity. "As I explained to your sister, Oliver didn't feel it appropriate to come himself after what happened last time. It really isn't safe for you to be seen meeting outside of an official setting." 

"You tell Oliver I need to know who is sending messages to my sister. He owes me that. If he cannot deal with it then I will." 

Felicity turned to Isabel. Viktor Rochev was beginning to irritate her. "Are you still receiving messages?"

"Yes, the most recent one came last week."

"Good. Respond and say you'd like to meet because you believe someone has found out about you." Felicity placed a folded sheet of paper into Isabel's hand. "That is the time and place you should suggest for the meeting." 

Viktor Rochev took the information from his sister. "Tell Oliver I'll make contact Ms Kuttler." He nodded to her and walked away, leaving the two women together.

Isabel Rochev stepped closer to the woman she was certain Oliver Queen loved; she was displeased by that. There was a lot she wanted to tell his little blond to shatter her complacency but now was not the time. "Thank you for your help Megan." Isabel gave Felicity a gracious smile, hiding the malice, before following her brother.

Felicity stared after the departing Isabel, there was something unsettling about the woman. Cold. Reptilian. How could Oliver have ever been attracted to her. The only information she found on the web about Rochev was very basic. It was as if she didn't exist outside of her role as wife of Nicholai Sokolov. She'd tried a deep search on Rochev and nothing came up, nothing at all, which was even more disconcerting. Once again, anxiety on Oliver's behalf raised an ugly head.

****

  


Two days after Felicity met with Isabel a stake out was set up in a remote, wooded part of Star City Memorial Park, but close to a road. Isabel Rochev sat on a bench, her brother stood a few yards away. Diggle and Oliver secreted themselves in strategic positions out of sight. Felicity acted as look-out close to the road.

"I can hear a car approaching," Felicity relayed to all except Isabel who was not on comms, but including Curtis back on the Grid. The vehicle stopped and she read out the registration number. 

**That's an unregistered number Delta Two**

"A woman is getting out of the car. It could be the imposter. She has on a head scarf, sunglasses and a dark coat. The car is leaving and the woman is walking back the way the car came. I don't think she is the imposter but I'm following." 

Oliver wanted to yell out, telling her to stay where she was. If the woman was Emiko Adachi, Felicity would be in danger. His stomach knotted. "Where is the woman now Delta Two," Oliver asked urgently.

"I don't see her, Alpha One. The target must have entered the park."

"Stay where you are Delta Two. Do not follow. I repeat, do not follow." Oliver sounded agitated. He hadn't wanted her on the stake out, but he dare not say that and incur her wrath. At this moment she was an independent ARGUS agent and not his girlfriend.

Ignoring Oliver, Felicity hurried into the park and stood still behind a tree, listening. She needed to move with stealth.

A gunshot rang out. The bullet zipped past Isabel Rochev's ear. Instinctively she threw herself on the ground, an involuntary act. Not in the plan. She was supposed to let herself get shot. She tried to get up again but Oliver was beside her, pulling her back down to the ground. "Stay down," he hissed. 

John and Viktor went in opposite directions aiming to cordon off the shooter. Several more shots rang out and Isabel jumped up calling her brother's name. Oliver grabbed Isabel's arm and dragged her down again. Right now his sole concern was for Felicity. There was no sign of her nor had she checked in after the first shot. "Delta Two, what is your status?" His heart thumped painfully in his chest. He died a little death when initially there was no response. 

"I'm fine Alpha One. The target is down." Felicity stood beneath the shelter of tree branches with Diggle and Viktor Rochev looking down on a dead female body, penetrated by the bullets of three different guns. "I repeat the target is down."

Oliver breathed a sigh of relief at hearing her voice. He got up off the ground and motioned to Isabel. "Take a walk with me."

"Of course, what is it?"

"I don't believe the person who just tried to kill you is the one who reactivated you, please be careful."

"Then who Oliver? Who wants to kill the partnership between our two countries?"

So she believed killing the partnership was the objective too. "You said you were happy in your marriage, yet you were ready to leave Nicholai behind and come to America." This whole thing made no sense to Oliver. 

"In the beginning I regarded him as my captor in a kind of marriage of convenience, and I was having a child. But after a while I realised he and I were both trapped in our own ways. I hated his beliefs and the system he defended but he has been a good husband. He is also a good father to your son."

"Is Sasha mine? Without proof I find it difficult to believe."

"Oliver, I didn't think you could be so callous. What have I done to make you doubt my word? It's that woman you sleep with, that little blonde Megan, she questioned my integrity too. I'm surprised you shared what I told you with her. She's more than a work colleague and a sex partner isn't she? You're in love with her, I see how you look at her."

"Isabel right now, I'm interested in who is impersonating me, not discussing my private life with you."

"And you think it's my husband. I share his bed, I should be able to tell." 

"Nicholai is ex-KGB, a successful business man and a Minister in government. He is very astute. If he uncovered proof that you are a spy, he'll kill you. You know that." 

"What are you saying? That he might know about us?" 

You cannot underestimate him Isabel, and there is no _us._ I've told you, you're not spying for me, I'm not your handler, have never been."

Isabel stopped walking. She touched his face. "I miss you Oliver, do you ever think about me. I am still in love with you."

Oliver frowned. "Isabel stop. You were never in love with me. We had a brief affair in Russia four years ago. That was all it was. Viktor is waiting we have to go back. The person who tried to kill is dead. If the communications continue to arrive, let me know as soon as possible. Just be extra careful where your husband is concerned."

"So you think he's the one contacting me pretending to be you?" 

Oliver nodded. "Yeah. I do." 

Isabel nodded, hiding a small smile. They rejoined Viktor who was on his own waiting for them. 

****

The team reassembled on the Grid in silence.

"So, what do we have? A Jane Doe in the morgue who may or may not be Emiko Adachi who almost killed the wife of a foreign minister on our soil. What were you thinking?" An indignant Amanda Waller stood hands on hips, glaring at her team.

"It was the only way of flushing out the real assassin," Oliver responded.

"Well consider yourselves fortunate that Isabel Rochev is still alive and we don't have a major international incident on our hands. All of you would be out of a job. Where are we on the sender of the messages, are we any closer to finding the culprit? Was it Adachi?" 

"I believe Nicholai Sokolov is sending those messages?" All eyes turned to look at Oliver.

"So Isabel's own husband set up the kill today? Is that what you're saying Oliver," Diggle questioned.

"Yeah. Think about it. Nicholai finds out or suspects his wife is a spy and sets a trap for her, using me as bait. He arranges to have her disposed of here and no suspicion falls on him and there's no scandal, at least not for him." 

"That's a possibility but I have another theory," Felicity offered. "Emiko Adachi had a high velocity sight rifle, she is a member of a terror group, probably trained in weaponry. How likely is it that she misses a target at relatively close range? Suppose this is all smoke and mirrors and we're not really seeing the wood for the trees."

"Okay," Diggle interjected. "That's a possibility but right now my brain is addled. I need time out. How about a beer Oliver?"

Oliver nodded. "Yeah. I'm in."  
He moved over to Felicity's workstation. "I want to stop by my home and pick up a change of clothes. See you later?" Felicity smiled up at him and nodded. She wanted to do some further internet digging. There must be something about Rochev she was missing. She was beginning to think the woman was a double agent, who still had a thing for Oliver. That seemed clear watching her with him in the park earlier. 

"You here for a while Felicity?" Lyla checked.

"Yeah, I want to do a bit of internet surfing."

Lyla grinned. "Good. I'd welcome the company. I want to check through all those messages Isabel thinks she received from Oliver."

****

**Russian Ambassadors Residence**

Isabel Rochev removed a secure phone from the false bottom compartment of her carry-on bag, went into the bathroom and locked the door. She tapped the button for the only pre-programmed number in the phone, a direct line to the chairman of the senior group of advisers to the government in Moscow.

Mikhail Navalny, a fierce patriot, considered Mother Russia's place in the world weakened by those who wanted détente with the West. His position gave him access across government and provided ample opportunity to thwart those plans. 

When his phone rang, he moved away from his colleagues. It was Sokolov.

_I hope you're calling with good news._

"It's not working. No suspicion has fallen on him, he is part of the team investigating my reactivation. I fear he is lost to us for good, and the partnership agreement will be signed in two days. Adachi is dead." 

_Then we must resort to the contingency plan immediately. Illich will be on the next flight out._

"Is that necessary? Can't we...."

The line went dead. 

Isabel Rochev Sokolov knew what to do, she had her instructions. She went back to the bedroom to retrieve the number Oliver had given her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you've kept up with the muse.


	33. Seeking Oliver

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver has a visitor and Isabel makes a request that has the team concerned for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This update is almost pure dialogue but it tells a story. The tortoise gets on my nerves though 😒 🙄 Enjoy.

Oliver stopped for one beer with Diggle, he wanted to get to Felicity's. He was impatient for the Russian delegation to complete their business and leave so they could focus on their relationship.  
Startled when the front door buzzer sounded, Oliver stopped throwing items of clothing into a holdall. Who the hell was knocking on his door? 

He hurried downstairs to check the cameras. Oliver took a deep breath. 

_Nicholai Sokolov._

Isabel's husband was the last person Oliver expected. Of course Bratva would know where he lived, but he was prepared for all eventualities. He spoke into the microphone. "You know the drill Nicholai." 

Nicholai Sokolov looked straight into the camera. "Oliver, Oliver. You don't trust me."  
"Okay, have it your way," he said when Oliver made no response. Nicholai put down the bottle he was holding, removed his jacket and turned out the pockets of his pants. He raised his hands above his head and turned his back to Oliver, then turned again.

Oliver released the door and went down the spiral staircase to meet his visitor. "And the rest Nicholai," he prompted as the Russian entered his house. 

Sokolov smiled and shook his head. "What has happen to you my friend, I thought we were friends." He removed his shoes and socks and rolled up both trouser leg.

"What are you doing here Nicholai?"

"I come in peace." Sokolov held up the bottle of Beluga. "There's no need for war between us, and we do have a common interest."

Oliver stepped to the wall behind the spiral staircase and tapped on the keypad camouflaged by the Egyptian hieroglyphics. A portion of the wall rolled back to reveal a beautifully furnished area, a small studio, fully equipped. There were no windows, it was Oliver's safe room. he motioned Nicholai to enter.

"Have a seat Nicholai, make yourself at home." The wall rolled back into place noiselessly behind the two men. Oliver took two glasses from a cupboard and set them down on a circular occasional table. Nicholai filled the glasses. 

Oliver sat watching his visitor. "And what is this interest we have in common?" 

Sokolov's face re-formed into what could be called a smile. He picked up his glass and swallowed the fiery liquid in one gulp. "My wife Isabel. No need to be coy about it my friend."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." 

Nicholai filled his glass again and looked around the room. "I see you've learnt well from Bratva. I don't need a place like this any longer. I have a wife and son, a nice house with a garden and a tortoise. We have relatives and friends. It is a place full of love. It is a miracle to find love Oliver, especially people like us. You have to take love where you find it, however imperfect, what ever the compromise, whatever the cost." 

Oliver observed Sokolov, his leathery skin, cold grey eyes and thin lips. What did he really want? If Nicholai was taunting him about Isabel, the man was a bigger fool than he thought. "It all sounds Idyllic. I'm happy for you. I imagine you didn't find your way to my home to tell me about your garden and your tortoise."

"You have a black soul and a cold heart Oliver, I don't want to be you." 

"What _do_ you want Nicholai?"

"I know Isabel spied for you." 

Oliver remained silent. _There it was._

"She was taken in for interrogation as soon as you were abducted and taken to Metak. Did you know that?" 

_No, he didn't know that._

"I didn't want to believe she was a traitor at first, although I knew she had a soft spot for you. She might even believe she loved you, and would do anything you asked of her. I have some influence so I pleaded her innocence and miraculously it worked. I don't know why. She should have been detained as a traitor. I couldn't bear to lose her. I have never told her it was me who saved her."

"So all this time you knew?" 

"That you were lovers, that she agreed to spy for you...? Not many people can live with betrayal but I love Isabel. She will never leave me. Look at you. What kind of life do you have, hiding in shadows, alone, using an alias, pretending to be other than who you are. I have a wife and a son, and a tortoise in the garden." 

"So why have you been communicating with your own wife posing as me? Are you trying to trick her into confirming your fantasy?"

Nicholai Sokolov raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair with a bemused smirk, his narrowed eyes zeroed in on Oliver's face. The expression on his face slowly turned to quizzical. 

Oliver realised he had it wrong. Nicholai had no idea what he was talking about, he wasn't the person communicating with Isabel. 

"Have you ever wondered who betrayed you Oliver, that night you ended up in Metak prison?" 

_Isabel? Was Nicholai intimating Isabel had betrayed him?_

"So? Are you going to tell me?"

"Think about it Oliver, it will come to you. Now, if you'll let me out of this dungeon, I'll return to my wife. In a few days we will go home to our son and our tortoise in the garden." 

"I'm happy for you Nicholai. Have a safe trip home, I doubt we'll meet again. Give my best to Anatoly when you next see him." Oliver got up to let his visitor out; the safe room wall rolled open once again. 

Oliver watched Nicholai get into his car where his driver and bodyguard were waiting for him. The visit was a childish act, giving Nicolai the opportunity to taunt and to gloat before he left the country. But the visit had given him information and one or two things to think about. The pieces were beginning to fall into place. Isabel had set him up, was setting him up. But why? Was she trying to sully his name?

****

Lyla Michaels looked up when one of four phones in a row on her workstation started flashing. "Felicity, it's Isabel Rochev." 

"What shall we do? Let it go on redirect to Oliver?"  
"No. We need to hear. You take it. She knows you work together."  
"What shall I say?"  
"Come on Felicity."  
"Fine. But I don't like the woman." Felicity placed the phone on loud speaker.

"Hello."

_Who is this?_

"It's Megan Kuttler. I'm afraid Oliver cannot come to the phone right now." 

_Megan, It's Isabel Sokolov. I have to see Oliver, I have new information._

"What is it Isabel"? 

_I will talk only to Oliver, I have to see him as soon as possible._

"That's not possible."

_You don't understand, lives are risk. I must talk to him._

"What do you mean lives are at risk Isabel? Whose life?"

_Listen to me Megan. The man who tried to assassinate my husband gained entry as a delivery man from Freshfields. The woman who shot at me in the park was Emiko Adachi, the leader of a terrorist group known as the Ninth Circle, and I know the source of the messages I've been receiving purporting to be from Oliver. Now do you see why I need to speak to him?  
You get me in a room with Oliver as soon as possible. I'll be here whenever you arrive, just you, but make it soon. _

Lyla and Felicity stared at each other. "Isabel you must tell me..." 

The line went dead.

Before Felicity finished talking to Isabel, Lyla was already on the phone to Oliver. He was not responding. She called her husband. "Johnny, where are you?" 

"I'm at home Lyla. Are you still on the Grid."

"Listen to me Johnny, I don't have time to explain. Where is Oliver, is he with you?"

"No. He went home some time ago. What's going on Lyla?"

"It's Isabel Rochev. Felicity was right, she is in the thick of things. She said lives are at risk and is demanding to see Oliver. She knows it was Emiko who shot at her, and gave details about the shooter at the reception. I think Oliver might be in danger. Get to him Johnny, as fast has you can." 

Lyla looked around for Felicity, there was no sign of her. She called Amanda Waller. It was going to be another long night.

****

Diggle was already at Oliver's house when Felicity arrived. "He's not here Felicity."  
Their phones rang simultaneously. "Lyla?...." Diggle move away to take the call. 

"Oliver?....."  
"Lyla didn't know where you'd gone and guessed you came to find me. Is Digg with you?"  
"Yes, we're outside your house but you're not here. Where are you? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm in your apartment."

"We've been trying to reach you. Isabel called and said lives were in danger. I've been so worried. Why didn't you answer your phone?"

"Felicity, I'm okay. Just come home. I've talked with Lyla and Amanda. Everything is fine."

"Things are not fine Oliver...Isabel is a threat. She's been playing us...the things she said...You didn't answer your phone, I thought they'd..."

"Hey, hey. Take a breath. I'm fine, I promise. No one did anything to me. Now will you just come home?"  
"Okay, I'm on my way."

Felicity looked up to find Diggle watching her. "That was Lyla," he said. "You okay?"  
Felicity nodded. "That was Oliver. He's fine, he's at my apartment."

"We better get home. See you tomorrow. Goodnight Felicity. Diggle stopped and turned back. "You sure you're okay?" Felicity nodded mutely. "Come here," he said, giving her a hug. Felicity was shaking. "He's okay Felicity. You love him don't you." It was more of a statement than a question.

Felicity welcomed that tiny moment of comfort. Her mind had been racing since leaving ARGUS to find Oliver and she wouldn't be happy until she held him in her arms. "Nite John."

****

Felicity ran into Oliver's arms as soon as she stepped inside her apartment. She lay her head on his chest and held him tight. She was trembling. Oliver hugged her to him and stroked her hair. "It's okay," he whispered, "I'm here." He kissed the top of head. Felicity raised sad eyes to his. "I thought something had happened to you when you didn't answer your phone." 

Oliver took her hand and led her to the couch. "Can I get you anything?"  
"No. I'm okay."  
Oliver sat down beside her and took her hand again. "I had a visitor tonight."  
"Was it Isabel?"  
"No. Her husband."  
"Sokolov came to see you? Why? How did he know where you live?" 

He'd know where I live from his Bratva connections." Oliver replayed the conversation with Nicholai.  
"I still don't know what the point of his visit was except to gloat about his happy domesticated life. I could tell by his reaction Nicholai was genuinely surprised when l suggested he'd been communicating with Isabel pretending to be me." 

"At least now you sure of two things," Felicity commented, "Sokolov knows his wife is a spy and he's not the one sending her messages from you." "He didn't say it in so many words but inferred it was Isabel who betrayed me in Moscow." 

Felicity nodded. "Suppose she did? I'm convinced Isabel sent those requests for info to herself. I'm even more certain of that after her call earlier."

"I've been thinking about that since my conversation with Nicholai but why would she do that? None of it makes any sense."

"Oh Oliver open your eyes. She's not a friend. She wants to derail the proposed partnership and to discredit you." 

"I thought about that too. Felicity it would mean she's working against her husband and her own country. And against us. But why? For what reason?" 

"That would make her a triple agent if there's such a thing. So what's happening tomorrow?" 

"I'm going to meet with her. Amanda agrees." 

Felicity knew it had to happen but she didn't feel happy about it. "So what's the plan?"

"We'll have an early team briefing and then meet with Isabel at an ARGUS safe house." 

"Okay. At least you won't be alone with her. Have you eaten?" feeling the tension in her body, Oliver kneaded her shoulders. "I'm not feeling hungry," he replied. 

"Well I am but think I'll have a bath first."  
"Can I join you?"  
"Of course. I don't want you out of my sight." 

Oliver grinned and pulled her into his arms, and kissed her nose then her forehead. He loved how protective of him she was being. "Felicity you mustn't worry about me."

"I know but I don't trust Isabel or her brother." 

"Let's go and run that bath," he said.

Their time in the bath was not as long and luxuriating as Felicity had planned. Things got hot and bothered very quickly. Desire drove them out of the bath and into bed, each eagerly seeking comfort and refuge in the other's naked body. 

****

  


"Listen up everyone. None of us know what's going on here so tread carefully," Waller instructed the assembled team. "A perimeter has gone up around the safe house, and Curtis will be monitoring events. You'll all be on comms. Are you ready Ms Smoak?" Felicity nodded. "Mr Diggle will drive you to the Ambassador's residence and take you and Isabel to the safe house where Oliver and Lyla will be waiting. We will be able to see and hear Isabel and Oliver in the interrogation room." 

"I'm more concerned with Felicity going into the residence by herself." Oliver voiced his mounting distrust of Isabel and her motives. 

"Why Oliver? Rochev wants to meet with you, she asked Ms Smoak to facilitate it. She'll be perfectly safe. We'll be monitoring the outside of the residence and Mr Diggle will be in communication the whole time." As far as Waller was concerned they were ARGUS agents on an assignment. There was a job to do and that was her sole focus.

"It's just odd that she specifically wants Felicity. I don't trust her motives." Oliver wanted to say he feared Isabel would use Felicity in some way to get to him but that would not be a concern for Waller. 

"Oliver I'll not be in any physical danger." Felicity stepped in. "Isabel may want to inflict some damage but I believe she wants to stop the partnership going forward. It's at the safe house we have to be careful. We have to go with Isabel's request and just be alert to what she says, especially if it requires Oliver or the government to take some action. Her phone call last night was explosive. I'm still not sure whether she's saying she has information about the attempts on their lives or if she knows because she had a hand in it all." 

"If she had a hand in it wouldn't she be exposing herself by telling us? Her husband seems very keen on the partnership to me," Diggle said.

"There could be something bigger at stake. Rochev may be part of some dissident group and we won't know until we hear what she has to say. So let's get this show on the road," Waller rallied the team. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's probably a couple of chapters left of this fic and possibly an epilogue if necessary.


	34. Double Bluff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Russian mission is moving rapidly towards a conclusion.

Isabel Rochev sat in on her husband's interview waiting for Felicity to arrive. She was feeling some trepidation about putting herself on the line for the greater good. But that was her failsafe orders if for any reason the partnership was not derailed. 

Isabel interrupted her husband's interview on the agreement due to be signed the next day. "Darling, you know I have an interview of my own. After that I'm going to do some last minute shopping before we return home."

Nicholai nods and continues his interview but watches his wife slip out the door with her bodyguard in tow. Isabel makes her way to the outer reception area where Felicity is waiting.

"We must hurry Megan, my husband thinks I'm meeting with a group of women to talk about what our partnership could mean for the women of our two countries," Isabel said in a low voice. She waits for her minder to catch up.  
"Oh Ivan, I've left my purse in the reception room where we were earlier, could you get it? I'll wait here."

As soon as her minder was out of sight, Felicity and Isabel hurried out to the waiting car and Diggle immediately drove off. 

Keeping her eyes straight ahead, Felicity addressed Isabel. "We have gone out of our way to make this meeting happen, I hope it's worth the risk." 

"Oliver would want to take any risk for me. You understand the guilt he must feel about me and his son. Do you think that will affect your relationship?" 

Diggle glanced in the rear view mirror. Did he hear right? Oliver had a child with Isabel Rochev? Felicity didn't meet his eye. "We are being followed Ms Kuttler," Digg announced before Felicity could respond to Isabel's barbed comment. "What do you wished me to do?"

Both Isabel and Felicity looked out of the rear window. "I'm sure that's Viktor, my brother. It's of no consequence. He has not allowed me out of his sight since the attempt on my life. Please keep driving." 

Diggle met Felicity's eye in the mirror and she nodded. She texted Oliver to confirm the pick up, and that they were being followed. Felicity couldn't be sure it was Viktor, she couldn't identify the driver and was not prepared to take Isabel's word on anything. 

A response came back from Oliver. _I have confirmation Viktor is tailing you. Let him come._

When they arrived at the remote safe house beyond the City limits, Lyla came out to escort Isabel to the secure interrogation room. Felicity and Diggle waited for the vehicle tailing them. It was Viktor Rochev and he was alone. Diggle and Felicity switched on their comms.

Viktor strode over to Felicity. "Why have you brought my sister here Ms Kuttler? Have you people not already caused her enough harm?"

"This meeting is at your sister's request Viktor, she wanted to talk urgently with Oliver."

"Good. I need to talk with him too. Take me to them." 

"I cannot do that Viktor you'll have to remain out here." 

"That is not good enough Ms Kuttler. I demand you take me to my sister." 

**This is Harbinger Delta Two. Let him in but search him first. Secure any weapons he has."**

"Fine Victor, you can come inside but you must submit to a search and leave any weapons." Viktor nodded, removed his gun and handed it to Felicity. She disarmed the weapon whilst Diggle did a thorough search of Viktor's person before escorting him inside the house. 

"Hello Viktor," Oliver greeted him. "Your sister is quite safe, as you can see." Oliver pointed to the one-way mirror view into the interrogation room where Isabel was seated.

"What exactly are we doing here Oliver?" 

"I believe your sister is about to tell us. She asked for this meeting. You will be able to listen to the conversation but she cannot see or hear you." 

Viktor's phone rang. He looked at the screen. "It's my brother-in-law."  
"Let me speak to him." Oliver held out his hand for the phone.

"Nicholai?"

"Oliver? Why are you answering Viktor's phone. Where is he and where is my wife? She is supposed to be doing an interview here but gave her bodyguard the slip. What is going on?" 

"They are both with me. Isabel has some information she wishes to share." 

"Listen to me Oliver. I am informing Broderick at your State Department, then I'm coming to get my family."

"Go ahead Nicholai. Ask him to put you in touch with Amanda Waller. She will tell you where we are." 

"Goodbye Oliver." 

The line went dead.

Oliver handed Viktor back his phone and walked into the interrogation room. He turned the key in the lock; he wanted no interruptions from Victor. "What is it that you wish to tell me Isabel?" 

"Hello Oliver. I'll get straight to the point. There will be a major attack on your country in the next few hours. I don't have any details, only a contact number for a go-between." Isabel repeated a number she'd obviously memorized.

"Who is mounting this attack and how did you get the information? Does Nicholai know about this?" 

"I'll tell you everything I know but please ring that number and save lives, you don't have much time. Please hurry, stop hundreds of deaths." Oliver stared at Isabel, the muscle in his jaw working. He couldn't trust her but couldn't afford to take any chances either.

Oliver left the interrogation room, the metal door clanged shut behind him. He glanced briefly at Digg and Felicity watching and listening with Viktor. Oliver signaled Lyla to follow him into another secure room. 

"Did you get all that Delta One?" Oliver spoke directly to Waller watching and listening back from the Grid. 

"Copy that Alpha one. I'll alert Broderick and there's an alert out at all airports but we need more information about the nature of this attack. We are chasing down an address for that number. You and Harbinger get back inside that room and find out what the hell is going on. The Partnership agreement is being signed tomorrow." 

"Ready to go in?" Oliver checked with Lyla. 

"Yes, but we can't trust her Oliver. We still don't know how Rochev is involved."

"I know but we can't afford to not trust her. She's putting herself at great risk telling us about the attack."

Isabel's eyes slid from Oliver to Lyla as they walked into the room. "Have you contacted the go-between on the number I gave you Oliver?"

"We have an address for that number. But I want to know more about this attack. Who are these people and how do you know about this. The message you left for me suggests you might be protecting them, if not working with them Isabel. Is Nicholai involved in this too?"

"No. My husband is not involved Oliver. Nicholai wants this partnership. He always has. It was his idea."

"And what does that have to do with the attack you say is about to happen Isabel?" Lyla demanded to know.

"Who are you? Where is Megan? I wanted her to hear this." 

"Please answer my question Isabel," Lyla insisted.

"Oliver and I were in love. Or at least I thought we were. I was prepared to settle with him in his country but he was just using me for his own gratification. Then he left me. He knows nothing about love, do you Oliver? If that little blonde wants that from you, she won't get it. Did you know that I was interrogated by the secret police after they took you to Metak?" 

Oliver felt his entire being submerged in a miasma of lies and half truths. "I don't know what to believe Isabel. What I hear is a lot of resentment and your need for revenge. You and I know you were never in love with me. You wanted to defect to the West. I was sent to facilitate your wish. Unfortunately it went wrong. Why do I feel there's little truth in anything you say. My colleagues believe you are a double agent and you deal in misinformation. Why do you think you were mothballed by us? "

Isabel made a hasty calculation. There was only one aim, to torpedo the agreement at any cost. She couldn't afford to fail, even if it tore her family apart. "Can you handle the truth Oliver? I'll tell you everything if it will save innocent lives."

"I'm listening," Oliver said.

"It was me. I sent those messages to myself, I ordered those assassination attempts."

"What? You put the lives of all those people at the reception at risk, you endangered the lives of my team. Why for god sake Isabel? Have you lost your mind?"

Diggle's voice filtered into Oliver's ear. **Sokolov has arrived. If you want me to let him in raise your hand Alpha One.**

Oliver raised his hand to chest height for a few seconds.

"Who do you think betrayed you Oliver? You see I was already a spy before you met me. I didn't want to defect to your country. You were not recruiting me, I was recruiting you, the heir to a family fortune, with high level connections. You were the perfect target. Poor damaged Oliver, you were my assignment. We needed people like you to channel disinformation and eventually to turn you, but I underestimated you." 

Oliver's stomach knotted and the bile rose in this throat. "Go on," he said in a calm voice.

"I was recruited by a group from the former KGB, now business men and politicians. They are not happy with the direction that people like my husband are taking our country. They ordered me to sleep with you. That part wasn't hard. But my feelings for you were real. Until you abandoned me. From then I became a double agent. After I betrayed you, I was taken in for interrogation but it was just part of my cover. Nicholai thinks he intervened to save me. He thinks I have no knowledge of that, but I do. He didn't have to save me of course. I was never in any danger."

"And your husband knew nothing about any of this?" 

"No, of course not. On orders from my group, soon after you ran out on me, we announced our engagement and got married pretty quickly. We needed to keep an eye on Nicholai. And who knows, he might even become President one day." 

"Nicholai knows Isabel." 

"Did he tell you that?"

"Yes," Oliver said, aware her husband and brother were listening. "Nicholai came to my home yesterday, we had a long chat." He watched the slight twitch in her facial expression and the almost imperceptible tremor of her lips. "He forgave you because he loves you, and for the sake of your family. But why are you telling me all this now?"

Her mask firmly back in place, Isabel gazed at Oliver almost adoringly. She had always been conflicted about him. Wanting him but knowing her love of her country would always take first place. But even now she wasn't sure whether she would've left Russia for him, if he'd asked her to. "Poor sweet Oliver. Ask me. I'll tell you the truth."

Oliver knew exactly to what she referred. He was beginning to believe Isabel Rochev was mildly deranged and suddenly felt sick to his stomach. Glacial blue eyes took in every pore on her face and the minute lines beneath her eyes, spreading to the outer edges. "It's another lie. Sasha isn't my son is he? You used your own child in your attempt to smear my name. How low will you go Isabel?" 

"Whether you believe me or not I do love you Oliver, but I believe in something you'll never understand. You're right, everything is part of the plan. Sasha is Nicholai's son but I needed to compromise you. My friends thought there was still a chance to recruit you on this trip, but once again I've failed. I didn't have enough time." 

Isabel's gaze turned to Lyla. "May I have a glass of water?"

"Maybe later, first tell us more about this attack. Is it a bomb somewhere? I assume it was ordered by your group?"

Isabel was offended at being treated like some recalcitrant school girl. But she retained a pliant manner. "Yes, they'd prefer conflict to the signing of this agreement. They will launch an attack so destructive, the partnership will be irrelevant."

"So why are you betraying your friends by telling this now? Why the sudden attack of conscience?" Oliver wanted to know. 

"I won't be part of taking innocent lives. I'm not a terrorist. We all have lines we won't cross, don't we Oliver. I'm at mine." He stared at Isabel. He didn't believe her. Something more was going on.

Felicity walked into the room with a tablet and motioned Oliver over to her. "We've found the apartment linked to the number she gave you," she spoke in low tones. "There was a dead body, a recent kill by the looks of it, and the whole place had been trashed. A heavily redacted page was stuck in the shredder with this photographic image intact." Oliver took the laptop from Felicity and walked over to Isabel. "Who is this?"

"Illich. One of the most dedicated agents in the group. An assassin, he will have been sent on a suicide mission."

Felicity moved swiftly towards Oliver and took the tablet. Her fingers moved at lightening speed over the keyboard. "Illich boarded a flight from Moscow, AR887, late last night." Felicity gasped and turned to Oliver wide eyed.

"What is it," he asked, a note of urgency in his voice.

"Air Traffic Control security report states that the aircraft failed to respond to a routine status request a few minutes ago." The three ARGUS agents left the room. Oliver motioned to John. "Guard this room Digg, Sokolov and Viktor are not to enter. I need to talk with Waller."

"We know about the aircraft Oliver, but we must be certain about this intel." Waller's voice filtered through his earpiece as Oliver joined Felicity and Lyla. 

"There's no way to verify Amanda. We cannot take a chance, lives are at risk. We should scramble interceptors now."

"Amanda wait." Lyla and Oliver looked at Felicity. "This is all moving too fast, something isn't right. It's all been too easy. Suppose this is a double bluff? They want us to shoot down the airplane, then we become the aggressors." 

"Lyla what's your view?" Waller asked. "You've been in that room with Rochev? Is Felicity right? I need an answer before I advise my boss to take down a passenger flight."

"I know how to get one," Oliver said, striding out of the room.

Felicity rushed after him. "Oliver wait. Let me talk with Isabel."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yes. She wanted me to be in there earlier. Let's give her what she wants."

Oliver hesitated for a second. But he trusted her instincts. "Okay," he said softly. Diggle let Felicity into the interrogation room and remained on guard outside the door. He felt like a confused bystander, not entirely sure what was going on but trusted his team members, especially his wife. 

Oliver moved to join the others who were watching and listening through the one-way mirror. He could feel Nicholai and Viktor's eyes on him and could imagine their consternation and confusion at Isabel's revelations. They would have to deal with her at some later stage. She was not his concern. Right now all his attention was focused on Felicity in that room with Isabel Rochev.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's an interminable wait guys. I mean the US election results not the next update. That's coming up soon though since I want to complete this fic. The next one is already on line - a gift for Carol! Right now I'm glued to the TV - another Papa John day with rum and raisin ice cream. 😍The wait is killing me and I'm on the other side of the pond!


	35. Calling the Bluff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mission moves to an unexpected ending.

Isabel jumped up from her chair when Felicity walked in. "What's happening?" she asked.

Felicity stared at her for long minutes, her dislike of the woman intense. "You're very good Isabel." 

"What do you mean Megan? I've given you information at great risk to myself. Your people need to move fast to avert a catastrophe." 

Felicity watched Isabel's face closely looking for every nuance in expression. "Oh don't worry about that. Our fighter jets are already circling the aircraft ready for a pre-emptive strike." 

"Good. I don't want the death of many more innocent people on my conscience."

"Thing is Isabel, I don't believe you. You don't care about anything or anyone other than your mission. You've used your own baby son, you've lied to your husband and brother. Your entire life is a lie. You're a cold, heartless person trying to convince us you care about strangers. You don't." 

"Ah Megan. There you are. A quick methodical brain, analytical. Your speciality I have no doubt, but not so good with men. Oliver will never be who you want him to be." 

"Let's put aside your obsession with Oliver, we are much more interested in the charade you've been playing since your arrival." 

"I have given you people ample warning, remember that when your boss is held to account for what is about to happen. And you should know Megan, _I_ love my son."

"Do you really love your son? You put country first. You were happy to pass him off as another man's child to achieve a personal end. And that makes you a fanatic." Felicity's tone was cold, accusatory. "What would your husband think about that if he knew." 

Isabel's nostrils flared, her eyes grew cold and hard. "Are your people really willing to ignore my warning because you doubt me? You have very little time left. Where is the aircraft? It should be within your coastal waters by now." 

The two women stared at each other silently for a length of time, each appraising the other. 

Felicity turned away abruptly and left the room, making her way to a side room. She hoped Alena was still at the apartment. Oliver followed her. "Delta Two to base. Where is Delta Three now and what's the status of the aircraft."

"Delta Three is still at the apartment and the plane is in a holding pattern just inside our coastal waters, surrounded by our fighter jets," Curtis responded. "They are waiting for our signal to move in." 

"Okay. Ask Delta Three to call me straightaway."  
"Copy that." 

Oliver was listening in to the conversation. "Felicity, what's going on? The clock is ticking." 

"Just a second Oliver. Finding that image of the assassin was much too easy, an amateur mistake. But these people are not amateurs. They're calculating and manipulative. It's another game play by Isabel." 

"But she's just basically ended her own life by exposing her role in this. There's no coming back from what she's done. Why would she do that?" 

"Do you think she doesn't know that? Oliver, Isabel is a dangerous enemy. Do you remember Hollio? A fanatic who didn't flinch in her readiness to commit a terrorist act on behalf of a cause. Isabel is exactly like that. Both embrace martyrdom." 

Oliver sighed. He agreed with her but Waller will want more than a best guess scenario. He had to flush Isabel out.

Felicity answered the incoming call immediately. "Listen Delta Three. Is there anything in the apartment that is....I don't know...not right?

"Can you be a little more specific. What am I looking for?"

Anything strange, out of place. Something that caught your attention when you first got there. A feeling, a thought that you ignored. Everything has been conveniently planted or orchestrated for our benefit, I want...need proof of that. From day one of this mission I've felt like my strings are being pulled by a puppet master."

"Okay. Give me a moment..."

Felicity chewed on her lower lip, waiting, aware that time was passing. Oliver's coiled spring presence didn't help. She wish he'd stop pacing. 

"Are you there Delta Two?"

"Yes, have you found anything?"

"Yeah. Think so. I was struck by a dead guy on the floor and a shredder jammed on a heavily redacted page but with an image of a person still visible. Surely the killer would've noticed and taken it. I had to rip it out. The jamming was deliberate Delta Two. One of the guys just found a small nail in the...wait....we were meant to find that image, right?"

"Yes, you were. Thanks. Standby, I may need to get back to you."

Felicity turned to Oliver. "I'm right about Isabel. This is all an elaborate hoax, they want us to blow up that aircraft. That image was deliberately planted for us...."  
They heard a commotion outside. Oliver rushed from the room with Felicity close behind. They found Diggle trying to stop Viktor Rochev from entering the interrogation room to see his sister. 

"It's okay, let him go see her, Oliver said. "He's unarmed, right?" Digg nodded and let Viktor into the room.

Where's Nicholai," Oliver asked.

"The guy looked devastated by what he heard from his wife. He's outside with Lyla." Oliver stepped into the interrogation room behind Viktor.

"You heard everything," Isabel said moving close to her brother. He nodded. "Listen _Дорогая_ everything I've done has been for our country, it's future. You and Sasha are the future Viktor."

"I understand Bella and I forgive you."

Oliver had heard enough, he needed to push Isabel's limits. He withdrew his sidearm and grabbed Viktor pushing him face down on the table. His arm was twisted viciously behind his back. "You're lying Isabel, there's no plan to crash the plane, everything about this has been carefully stage-managed. You want us to shoot down the aircraft." 

Isabel's gaze rested fearfully on her brother. "What are you doing Oliver? I don't know what you're talking about, I've told you everything I know."

Oliver jammed his gun against Viktor's head. Felicity watched through the one-way mirror with bated breath. She knew Oliver was calling Isabel's bluff, but this wasn't going to end well.

"Oliver please." Isabel's hand flew to her throat. She stared wide-eyed at Oliver. "You won't shoot him."

"Won't I?" Oliver uncapped his weapon. "He pointed his gun at me not so long ago, didn't you Viktor? How does it feel?" Oliver banged his captive's head on the table. "I'll take your brother's life as part compensation for the, probably thousands, your assassin is about to take."

"Oliver please, wait."

"This your last chance Isabel. I'm counting to three." 

Isabel's stared wide-eyed at him, her pupils dilated. She looked at her brother and back to Oliver, her mouth opened and closed. 

"One."

"Please, Oliver. I've sacrificed everything to tell you the truth."

"Yeah. That's what I'm afraid of. Two." 

"Oliver don't...Victor I'm...."

"Three." 

A shot rang out and Isabel screamed. Her eyes darted to her brother then back up to Oliver's. She stood panting staring at him.

Oliver pulled Victor up off the table and pushed him away. "Why couldn't you just lie to me Isabel. Why didn't you say what I wanted to hear to save your brother? Would you have sacrificed your own son too?"

Isabel turned to her brother and reached out to touch him. "Viktor, I know Oliver, I knew he wouldn't shoot you." He pushed her hand away. "No Bella, you didn't." Viktor Rochev turned away from his sister and left the room. 

Lyla came rushing in. "Oliver, we heard a shot. What happened?"  
"Where is Nicholai? I need to talk to him."  
"He's outside."

Oliver led Lyla out of the room. "Are you receiving me Delta One?"  
"Go ahead Alpha One," Waller responded.

"I'm putting Nicholai Sokolov on the phone. Standby." He nodded to Lyla and walked over to Nicholai who sat in a chair looking shell shocked. Glazed eyes looked up at Oliver.

"Listen Nicholai. You heard what went on with Isabel. Your wife wants to stop the agreement being signed. I need you to assure my boss this is all a hoax; that Isabel wants us to shoot down the aircraft to start conflict between our two countries for her own purposes."

Nicholai Sokolov nodded mutely. "I'll do as you ask Oliver but I want to see my wife, alone. I want her to listen as I derail her plan. Oliver hesitated. "It's okay old friend, I love my wife. She's the mother of my son, I could never hurt her. Your colleague over there has searched me."

Oliver looked at Lyla who nodded and handed Nicholai her phone with Waller on the other end. "Go ahead," she said. 

Nicholai got up and walked into the interrogation room. Isabel gasped and stood up as her husband walked in. "Nicholai. How long have you been here?"

"Sit down Isabel," he said and put the phone to his ear. "Ms Waller? This is Nicholai Sokolov. Your team is correct. The plane is not a threat. You're being tricked like I have been by my own wife." He glanced at Isabel who sat open-mouthed, staring at him.

Having listened in to the exchanges in the interrogation room, Waller had already made up her mind but she wanted to hear it directly from the Minister. "With respect Mr Sokolov, we cannot take that risk, the aircraft is not responding."

"Its communications is being jammed that's all; it's a scare tactic. Listen to me Ms Waller I speak with the full authority of my government. Escort the plane to land and arrest the killer. You know who he is. If you shoot down one of our aircrafts reprisals will be immediate. We will start with your submarine fleet in the Baltics, your air defense missiles will be jammed. We know how to do that. Shall I continue?"

"Are you threatening an act of war Minister? We are facing a terrorist threat from your country."

"That is not the case, I can assure you. I represent my Government, my wife doesn't. Don't let her call the shots. She speaks for a dissident group. I've already communicated with Moscow, the hunt for them is underway as we speak."

"Fine. I'll take your word for it Minister."

"Thank you Ms Waller, I appreciate your confidence in me. Goodbye." Nicholai glared at his wife, got up and walked towards the door.

It all seemed too slick, too controlled to Felicity. A volcano was about to blow. A tremor ran through her body. Premonition. "Oliver!" she screamed, "get in the room now."

Oliver didn't hesitate, he didn't have to ask why. Something in Felicity's voice, fear...foreboding. Whatever it was, it galvanized him into action.

He was too late.

Nicholai Sokolov had already turned the key in the lock of the metal door. He turned to face his wife. "You'd really let all those people die and tell yourself it was for Russia?"

Isabel eyes were wild as she looked around the room. She swallowed and looked up at her husband. "Yes," she said quietly.

"What happened to you Bella?" 

"I can ask the same of you Nicholai. You of all people should understand. You were once tasked with keeping our country safe from threats both within and abroad. Now as a government Minister you have the responsibility for ensuring we have a strong independent voice in the world. But what have you done, you and your kind. You are humiliating our country. This partnership betrays us."

Sokolov walked towards his wife and stepped behind her; he placed both hands on her shoulders. Her hands reached up to cover his. From the outside it looked like a husband and wife taking a moment with each other. Then Nicholai's arm circled Isabel's neck and throat. "It's going to be okay Nicholai," she said, her hands resting on the arm around her throat.

Blinded by rage and fury, Nicholai Sokolov pulled his wife's body backwards out of the chair, his arm tightened around her throat, his muscles straining. He stumbled back against the wall. His wife's pliant neck offered little resistance to that vice-like grip. 

"No!" Viktor Rochev shouted as he watched his brother-in-law choke the life out of his sister. He picked up a chair and began to hit the reinforced glass.

Isabel Rochev's blurry eyes looked up at the ceiling. Her lower limbs twitched and her head tried to shift towards the wall from where a sound came. Only her eyes moved. Life was already slipping away from her. 

"Stand back Viktor," Oliver yelled. He and Diggle pumped several bullets into the glass until it cracked in several places. They too picked up chairs and pummeled the glass partition until the entire pane shattered. 

Viktor was first through the jagged opening followed by Oliver who unlocked the metal door.

Isabel's brother sobbed as he gathered his lifeless sister in his arms and rocked her.

"Get first responders here now," Oliver barked out.

"Already on their way," John said. "Lyla is now talking to Waller."

Oliver felt for a pulse, not really expecting to find one. Isabel was already dead. Her husband sat slumped on the floor, legs out stretched, his eyes vacant and staring.

Oliver looked up through the gaping hole in the wall into Felicity's stricken face. "John can you keep eyes on things here? Give me a minute." 

Diggle simply gave him a look. Oliver nodded and walked out into the outer chamber to Felicity. "Come with me," he said. She just stared at him. He took her arm and led her out of the building.

"You okay." she whispered.  
"Yeah. What about you?"  
"A little shocked at the turn of events, but I'm okay."  
"Wanna take a walk around the grounds?"  
"Okay."

"I should never have allowed Nicholai to go into that room with Isabel. There's only so much betrayal a man like him can take. I really believed he loved his wife and wouldn't harm her."

"This is not your fault Oliver, anyone of us would've done the same thing. I seem to remember Lyla agreeing with it. Bigger things were at stake. Without Nicholai's intervention, Waller might have given the go ahead to shoot down that aircraft. The consequences would have been much worse." 

"Yes you're right. After today I'm even more determined to move on from ARGUS."

Felicity looked up at him. "Is that what you really want to do?"

"Yes, I think so. I've had a lifetime of death, secrets and lies, subterfuge, always having to look over my shoulder. I want a different life Felicity, I want normal. The kind of normal I've experienced with you. I have an agreement with Waller for re-entry. She and I will talk when this Russian thing is over." He took her hand. "I want to talk with you too; about us." 

Felicity nodded. "Okay, let's go back inside, the ambulance should be here."

As they turned back towards the house Oliver noticed the figure hurrying towards them. It was Viktor Rochev. He could read the body language even from a distance. "Go back inside Felicity. I'll join you in a few minutes, I want a word with Viktor."

"What is it Oliver, is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine. You need to leave Felicity. Now." Felicity refused to budge. She followed Oliver's gaze to where Viktor stood, now only a few feet away from them. 

"You killed her Oliver. This is all your fault. You precipitated her death." 

"Please Felicity, leave us," Oliver begged.

"No. I'm not going anywhere." She turned to Viktor. "Your brother-in-law killed your sister, not Oliver." 

Viktor ignored Felicity. "You knew he'd do it, that's why you let him into the that room." He took a few steps forward and lunged towards Oliver. 

"Oliver! No!" Felicity screamed. 

In the split second between her eyes catching the glimmer of the shard of glass in Viktor's hand and understanding his intent, Felicity inserted her body between the two men. Oliver's hands automatically reached out for her body as it pressed against him. He knew something bad had just happened. 

Felicity's eyes looked up at Viktor in shock and astonishment. He stared back at her before taking a few steps back, pulling the blade of glass away with him. Felicity felt no pain but her hand immediately covered the wound in her abdomen. Viktor looked at the bloodied weapon, his reddened fingers and then back at Felicity, a look of horror on his face.

Oliver dimly heard shouting and shots rang out. There was a buzzing in his ear as he sank to the ground on his knees then sat, cradling Felicity. He moved her hand where she was clutching at her stomach, her body limp and her eyes staring up at him before they closed. The crimson spread, staining her white blouse.

"No. God. No." Oliver's words were anguished. The guttural sounds came from his mouth like a wounded animal. He laid her on the ground, pressing his hand against the wound to stem the flow of her precious life force. "Stay with me Felicity. Can you hear me. Don't leave me."

Someone touched him on the shoulder. He looked up with pained eyes to meet John's compassionate brown ones. "It's okay man, the first responders are here, you need to let them take her now."

Oliver stared at the two paramedics. "You have to move sir, let us do our job. It's okay we've got her." 

****

Oliver paced the floor in the waiting area in Starling Memorial Hospital, with it's new maternity wing that carried his mother's name. He'd travelled in the ambulance with Felicity and had no intention of leaving her side until he was certain she was going to be okay, and not even then. Nothing in his world would be right until she was back with him and he could hear her laughter. He needed his girl more than life. She'd put herself in harm's way to save him. That knowledge was killing him.

Diggle stood leaning against a wall observing his friend. Oliver's blue eyes dulled with pain, he looked haggard. Apart from talking to Felicity's mom which he'd insisted on doing, not ARGUS, Oliver had hardly uttered a word since arrival at the hospital. John had never seen him like this. Oliver had aged ten years in the last few hours.

Digg was upset he wasn't able to stop Rochev hurting Felicity. He'd seen Isabel's brother leave with the shard of glass and guessed his intentions. He'd followed and shot Viktor to disable him.

Both men looked up at approaching footsteps.

"Mr Jensen?"

"Yes," Oliver responded. "Is Ms smoak out of surgery? Is she going to be okay?"

"I'm Dr Eversley. Are you family sir?"

"Yes, Ms Smoak is my fiancé, her mother lives in Vegas and is on her way here."

"Ms Smoak is out of surgery and in recovery. She's lost a lot of blood but she is lucky that first responders were on the spot and the piece of glass used to stab her didn't perforate any major organs. She is young and healthy and will have no problems once the wound is healed. You can probably see her in a couple of hours or so. A nurse will let you know."

"Thank you doctor." Oliver sat down, leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. He didn't move even when Diggle came and sat beside him.

Diggle stared at friend. His fiancé? They were getting married? Surely Oliver would've told him, wouldn't he?

****

The death of Isabel Rochev, killed at the hands of her own husband was dealt with swiftly and discreetly. Nicholai immediately returned home with his wife's body. Viktor Rochev was hospitalized for gunshot wounds. 

The signing of the partnership agreement was postponed, much to Sokolov's disappointment. He hoped another opportunity would present itself to reset the button on his county's relationship with the West.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry. Said it was a dark fic from the beginning but all will be well in the end.


	36. A Queen Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter of this fic. Thank you all who stayed with it. I've appreciated all your comments and kudos. There could well be a sequel sometime in the New Year, maybe.

Sitting beside Felicity's bed Oliver was alert and attentive to her merest movement. He'd been with her since they brought her to the room. She stirred and he waited to see if she would wake up. 

Felicity blinked several times, trying to focus on her surroundings. She was obviously in hospital. Oh god, she hated hospitals. Memory came surging back as she tried to get up, only to wince in pain. She felt a hand on her shoulder, pushing her gently back on the pillow. It was then she caught sight of the figure beside her. "Oliver?" Felicity moved her arm trying to touch him. Tears sprang to her eyes. 

"Hi," he whispered in a soft calming voice. "It's okay baby, I'm right here. You've been hurt and are in the hospital." His hand remained resting lightly on her shoulder. He wiped away the tear that glided down her cheek. "Are you in pain?" Stupid question, of course she was. 

Felicity moved her head slightly. "How long have I been here?"

He'd let the medics tell her about her physical condition. "It's late; you've been in surgery and are now in your room. I've called your mom, she'll be here tomorrow. Let me get your nurse."

"Wait. Are you okay? Did Viktor hurt you? He was going to hurt you." Her lips trembled as she remembered the vicious looking shard of glass aimed at Oliver's midriff. 

Her question caused Oliver's emotions to well up and clog his throat; he cleared it and bent down to kiss her hand. "No, he didn't hurt me. I'm okay, I need to call a nurse to replenish your pain medication." 

"Don't leave me," she whispered. The tears welled up in her eyes again. Oliver nodded. He was not going to leave her. He'll care for her until she was completely healed, then he was going to take her away from all this if she'd come with him. He pressed the buzzer near her bed and in a few minutes a nurse and doctor arrived, and ushered him out of the room.

Oliver was pacing the hallway when Donna arrived. "Oliver, where is she? Is my girl going to be alright?"

"Donna? How did you get here so soon, I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow."

"Are you okay Oliver? You look tired. I called Ray as soon as I heard from you. He insisted on flying me down." It was only then that Oliver focused on the tall dark-haired guy standing behind Donna. 

Ray stepped forward. "Good to meet you Oliver, I'm Ray Palmer, Felicity's friend and business partner."

"Mr Palmer." Oliver grasped the hand extended towards him.

"Please call me Ray, any friend of Felicity's is a friend of mine. Thank you for being here for her."

Oliver suddenly felt irritated. Where the fuck else would he be. He turned back to Donna. "You'll be able to see Felicity soon, the doctor is with her now."

Donna nodded mutely, anxiety etched her face. "Try not to worry Donna," Oliver reassured her. "The surgery went well, she just has to heal now." 

Oliver remained outside while Donna and Palmer went in to see Felicity. He wanted to be with her but reluctantly acknowledged that Donna needed time with her daughter. He wasn't so sure about Palmer. What did Felicity say about the guy. A physicist? They owned a business together. He was younger than Oliver expected, he'd imagined someone older. Guy must be rich if he could afford his own plane.

"Oliver will you come in here for a minute," Donna called from Felicity's doorway.

"What's wrong," he asked, following Donna into the room.

"Will you talk some sense into my daughter. She wants to discharge herself in the morning. That's not a good idea. She needs to stay in hospital until the doctors say she's well enough to go home then I want her in Vegas with me."

"You know I hate hospitals mom, and I'm not going to Vegas. I wanna stay in my own home."

"Sweetheart who's going to take care of you? The Doc said you'll need a good couple of months recovery time before doing anything strenuous. You should come home with me. I can take time off work to look after you." 

"I'm staying here mom. There's no need for you to worry, I'll be fine; and I don't know why you insist on still working, you no longer have to. You know..."

Donna held up her hand to stop her daughter talking. "Felicity, we're not having this conversation again. I don't care if you are a millionaire several times over, I need to work. Please baby, just come home let me take care of you for a change." 

Oliver's eyes widened. His girl was a millionairess?

"Your mom is right Felicity. You must give yourself time to heal. If you don't want to go to Vegas you and Donna can come and stay with me and Anna, we'd love to have you."

Felicity looked beseechingly at Oliver. She would go stir crazy in Vegas with her mom, she wanted to stay here, with him. He went to her and took her hand, there was no way he'd be parted from her. "It's okay Donna. Why don't we continue this conversation tomorrow, Oliver intervened, "Felicity really needs to rest." 

"I'm not coming to Vegas mom but you can stay for a few days, I'd like that," Felicity said drowsily.

"Okay Felicity but you have to remain in hospital until the doctors say it's okay for you to go home."

"Donna why don't I take you to Felicity's apartment, I'll come and pick you up tomorrow." 

Donna nodded and pressed her cheek against Felicity's. "You rest now baby, I'll see you tomorrow."

As Donna moved away from Felicity's bedside, Oliver bent down and his lips brushed her temple. "I'll be back as soon as I can," he whispered. Felicity hummed in response, well on her way back to sleep. 

Outside Oliver turned to Donna. "I'll take care of Felicity. I'll move in with her, or she will stay with me."

Ray Palmer looked skeptical. He didn't know Oliver. Donna said he was Felicity's boyfriend but she'd never mentioned him. "Are you sure this is best for Felicity?"

"Felicity is an adult Ray, quite capable of making her own choices." Oliver could feel his irritation rising again at Ray's proprietorial attitude. 

Sensing a hint of antagonism between the two men, Donna stepped in. "Oliver's right Ray, Felicity will do what she wants, she always has, it's futile to argue with her. But what about your work Oliver, I don't want Felicity to put too much strain on herself and have a relapse or delay her healing."

"Don't worry about any of that, it's won't be a problem. Felicity will be well cared for."

  
**Three Months Later**

"I wish you were coming with me."

"This is the first time your family will see you after almost nine years Oliver, you should do this on your own, let them welcome home their long lost son and brother. I'll meet them soon enough. Is Amanda meeting you here?" 

"Yeah, she is." He wasn't looking forward to this but it had to be done. The sooner it was over the quicker he and Felicity could leave for Europe and South Africa. They'd both left ARGUS and Oliver had been privately legally reinstated into the land of the living. The news would break publicly soon enough but almost immediately after, he and Felicity would slip out of the country. The continuation of his life as Oliver Queen begins today. A very different life to what his mother would expect of him and that was going to be difficult for her. 

"Here she is now," Oliver said when the buzzer sounded in the room. He gave Felicity a quick kiss on the lips. "I'll call you when it's all over." 

This was part of reclaiming his life; he owed it to Felicity, to their future life together. He recalled that horrendous day when she'd been stabbed by Viktor Rochev, an attack meant for him. She was so brave and wonderful. She had completely changed his life. He had the life and was looking forward to a future he never envisaged was possible for him. He had no doubt of her love. He loved her too. So much. He wanted to make her his wife but felt nervous about proposing. Suppose she turned him down.

"Oliver, it'll be fine, go." He gave her a little nod and went down the spiral staircase to meet Waller.

"Hi," Waller greeted him, "are you ready for this?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

Sitting in the passenger seat Oliver felt distinctly queasy the closer they got to Queen mansion. He closed his eyes and breathed. They agreed that Amanda would go in first and talk to his family. 

Waller glanced at him. "This is what you wanted Oliver right? It'll be fine." He didn't respond. Yes, it was what he wanted but this was a hurdle he wasn't looking forward to jumping. Re-uniting with Thea was the only thing that really motivated him. 

Life had come full circle. Nearly nine years ago he'd left the mansion with Robert for the docks and the Gambit where he'd secreted Sara on board, left her there then had gone to say goodbye to Laurel. Now he was back at his family home without his father. For a moment the sadness of that overwhelmed him as he watched Waller disappearing through the large double wooden doors entrance to the mansion. 

He settled down to wait.

As Waller stepped into the mansion, the elegant, coiffured and coordinated Moira Steele stepped forward. "Ms Jones, where is my son?"

"Darling, let's at least make Ms Jones comfortable and listen to what she has to say before you grill her." Walter Steele smiled at Amanda Waller, who'd initially presented herself as Amanda Jones from the State Department, just another public servant. The identity of the head of ARGUS remained classified to the general public. Waller had previously called Moira to inform her Oliver had been found alive and she needed to discuss his situation with the family.

"Nice to meet you Ms Jones, I'm Walter Steele. You've talked with my wife Moira and this is Thea Queen, my stepdaughter. Please...." Walter directed Waller to the living room where everyone sat down. Moira was on the edge of her chair, waiting eagerly to hear more about her son.

Waller reiterated the narrative she and Oliver had agreed, keeping as close to the truth as possible. She explained to the family that a government agency investigating unusual activity on an island in the North China Seas had come across a castaway. "He'd been badly treated, obviously tortured by men on the island and had been left to die. We knew he was American but not his identity. Oliver was in a bad way when he was found. He needed medical treatment, and only recently felt able to take the next step and contact his family."

As far as Waller was concerned that was the truth. She omitted certain details which the family didn't need to know, and embellished others. His time in Hong Kong, being sent back to Lian Yu and his recent role as an agent with ARGUS was classified information, which if divulged would make Oliver liable to prosecution. Waller made sure he understood that. 

"Ms Jones," Moira said with anguish in her voice, "is my son okay? Where is he now and why didn't he make contact with his family sooner?"

Three pairs of eyes fixed on Waller. "Oliver is as well as can be expected Mrs Steele and you'll see him very soon. As to the latter part of your question, you'll have to ask Oliver, but it would be best if you held off on the interrogation until he has settled. I'd like you to prepare yourself, the Oliver you lost may not be the one who has returned to you."

"When can I see my son?"

"I'll bring him in now."

"Oliver is here? Why didn't you say so?"

"Moira please," her husband pleaded. Moira nodded and turned to Waller again. 

"Oliver is waiting in the car. He wanted me to accompany him to give you a brief overview of what happened to him first. I don't think he is ready to talk about his ordeal yet, give him time. I'll go and get him now, but will not come in again. So I'll say goodbye Mr and Mrs Steele, Thea."

"Well thank you Ms Jones, I appreciate the government's support for my son."

"Thank you. There's no need to see me out Mr Steele. Goodbye." Waller took her leave of the family. 

Minutes later Oliver watched Waller drive away. He took a deep breath and turn towards his boyhood home. His heart was pounding in his chest. He suddenly felt exposed, naked. He'd grown used to Oliver Jensen, that persona had successfully shielded him since his return but Jensen had served his time. He'd have to get used to being a Queen again. It was going to be a difficult transition. 

Moira was right inside the door waiting for him. "Oliver," she said tentatively before clasping him in her arms. "My beautiful boy, you're home."

****

It was late when Oliver arrived back at his home. He felt drained. 

Felicity was waiting for for him. "Hey, you okay?" Oliver loosened his tie and sat down beside her. He put his head back and closed his eyes.

Felicity took his hand and kissed it." What happened?"

"Do you know the first thing my mother said, my old room was exactly as I'd left it, as if that's where I'd be sleeping from now on. She has no idea who I am Felicity, what I've become."

"I suppose that's understandable. In her head she has you locked into the place she last saw you. You all need time to get to know one another again. What did you say?" 

"Well I told them about you, that we lived together. That opened up a whole new stream of questioning, especially from Thea. She's dying to meet you. We're invited to dinner next weekend by the way. I'm sorry but it won't be just the family. I expect Tommy and possibly Laurel."

"Okay. Will that be awkward?"

"Not for me. All of that was a long time ago and everyone's moved on."

"I bet Thea was overjoyed to see you and to have you back."

Oliver smiled. That was the highlight of the visit. "She said she knew I was alive. My mother expected me to stay for dinner, that's why I'm so late. Everything that was familiar about that life is unrecognizable. I no longer belong. Felicity will you marry me?"

Felicity stared at Oliver dumfounded. She wanted commitment, yes, but marry him? That was a step too far too soon wasn't it. She was just getting to know Oliver Queen. Why was he asking her to marry him immediately after he'd seen his family.

He read the consternation on her face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ask you to be my wife like this. But I love you and want a life with you, our own life, detached from the Queen legacy. Seeing my family today left me destabilized in a way I can't explain. They see me as someone I'm not and will never be. They want something from me I can never give." 

One day, he'd tell her about his father and the rottenness at the heart of the Queen enterprise, but not now.

"I love you too, you know that but why don't we have our time away first, as planned and then see where you are after that. You need time in a different space Oliver to lie on the beach, take long walks, sleep in as long as you want, with no missions, no looking over your shoulder. When we've done that ask me again, okay?" 

"Okay," he said softly.  
"Good. Let's go to bed."  
"You know what I like to do first?"  
"What?"  
"To have a bath with you."  
Felicity grinned. She liked having baths with Oliver. 

**Fifteen Months Later**

Oliver looked around the home that had been his sanctuary for so long, but it was associated with a past that belonged to Oliver Jensen. Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak were about to begin a new life together in their recently purchased vineyard estate in Southern California. 

Felicity had fallen in love with the style of houses she seen on their tour of Spain and Italy. That had influenced their choice of location; it led them to the central Californian coast with the Santa Ynez Mountains as dramatic backdrop and Mediterranean-style white stucco homes. Thea had fallen in love with the place too and was threatening to come live with them.

"Hey," Felicity broke into his reverie, "any regrets?"

"About leaving here? No, it served it's purpose and I leave with good memories, especially the night a saucy blonde genius knocked on my door intent on seducing me."

Felicity laughed. "Yeah, you enjoyed it and wanted more. I'm going to miss one thing though."

"What's that?"

"The Green Room. I think we should leave one more memory here."

"Felicity, we have dismantled the Green Room, and you're pregnant."

"What difference does that make? I'm only a few weeks pregnant. And don't tell me you're going all missionary on me."

Oliver moved close-up behind her and pulled her against his body. A hand rubbed her still flat belly. "The more important question is when are you going to marry me Felicity Smoak. I've asked you fifty times already." 

"You exaggerate Queen. I will marry you honey. Ask me again when we get to our vineyard." That's where she wanted to get married in the grounds of their new home. She already had it all planned and had found the ring where he'd hidden it, in his sock drawer. Very original. 

"Okay, and no wriggling out. Our daughter will be born in wedlock." 

"I won't wriggle out, promise, and you mean our son."

Oliver smiled. "Well we'll know soon." He was going to make their wedding a very special occasion, one she wouldn't forget, and there'd be no waiting, no time lapse between engagement and wedding. As far as he was concerned they were already engaged.

Since they left ARGUS Felicity had refocused on her business with Ray and their plans for development and expansion. He had engrossed himself in all things wine-making and running a vineyard; he was the happiest he'd ever been. Much of that was down to Felicity but it was also due to the distance he was about to put between them and Starling City. 

Over the months Oliver had gotten more at ease and relaxed around his mom now she'd accepted he was not going to be part of the Queen empire. But Felicity was acutely aware there was still an underlying tension between them, something he was reluctant to talk about. She got on reasonably well with Moira but quickly came to really like Walter. She loved Thea and had gone out of her way to smooth the reconnection between brother and sister. 

They'd seen Tommy on a number of occasions, he'd even come to the house but never with Laurel. She was obviously making herself scarce, even at the first dinner party Moira arranged. But Oliver and Tommy wanted to rekindle their relationship.

Felicity loved the life they had together. Oliver was everything she'd ever want in a husband and life partner, and she was looking forward to being the mother of his children. Felicity turned in his arms, reached up and kissed his jaw, feeling the familiar graze of his scruff against her skin. Her heart filled with love.

"Come," Oliver pulled her towards the couch and sat her down. He knelt between her legs and began to unbutton her blouse. His hands reached behind and unhooked her bra.

"What are you doing?"

"We're making one last memory," he grinned. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay safe until the vaccine arrives.


End file.
